Hana & Ookami: Roles Switched
by Crystalteen
Summary: What if Ookami wasn't the one to have died? What if it was Hana who had perished on that day instead? And how would Ame and Yuki's futures be altered as the result of them being raised by their father instead of their mother? (A retelling of the movie, switching Hana and Ookami's roles).
1. The Accident

**A/N: Hey, everyone! :D :D I hope that you are all having a fantastic day/night! **

**In case any of you are curious, a couple of days ago was my birthday and I received "Wolf Children" as a present.**

**I've known about the movie for about a year now, but I watched it for the first time ever as soon as I got it. I truly did enjoy it! :)**

**So, due to my new admiration for "Wolf Children," I've decided to write this one-shot that tells how different everything would've been on the day of the accident if the roles were switched between Ookami and Hana. **

**This _might _turn into a series, but I'm not entirely sure yet. If any of you have a specific scene of the movie in mind that you would like to see written by me—with Hana and Ookami's roles switched—just tell me in the reviews and I'll consider writing it. Like I said, I'm not one hundred percent certain yet. I wouldn't mind turning this into a series, but I'm currently working on another project and I don't know how often I would be able to post for this specific fandom.**

**Nonetheless, as of now, this is a one-shot/possible starter to a series with Ookami and Hana's roles switched.**

**Let me know what you think in the reviews, please! I always look forward to feedback and I appreciate it very much! Don't hold back on sharing your thoughts! :D :D**

**Summary: What if Ookami wasn't the one to have died? What if it was Hana who had perished on that day instead? (Currently a one-shot, but might change to a series).**

**Happy reading, everyone! Don't forget to review!**

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**Wolf Children: Roles Switched Series (1) ~ The Accident**

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_"The following spring, my little brother was born. It was raining that day. Mom stepped out, but the day wore on and she didn't return." ~ Yuki_

* * *

"Mama?"

Ookami glanced down, seeing his one-year-old daughter—Yuki—grabbing at the back of his shirt in order to pick herself up from the floor. She had lost interest in the few chew toys and ABC blocks that were spewed all throughout the room. Now, Yuki was staring up at her father, batting her lashes at him in a mixture of confusion and innocence. The sight of his daughter giving him a look like that—as well as asking for her mother—automatically had Ookami forcing himself to put on the best smile that he could muster. However, there was genuine worry in his eyes ... and it never faltered.

"Yeah, I know, sweetheart. I'm wondering where Mama is, too." Ookami softly spoke, using one of his large hands to gently rub the top of his small daughter's head. "But don't worry ... I'm sure that she'll be back any minute."

Yuki cooed, still looking like she was questioning where her mother was. Meanwhile, as she kept gripping her father's shirt in her little fists like she was making attempts to climb up his back, Ookami glanced down at the small newborn that was resting in his arms. It was his and Hana's son, who they had given the name "Ame" since it had been raining all throughout that day. Thankfully, he had been born healthy and the delivery had been successful, even with the lack of a hospital, drugs, or even a midwife—just like when Yuki had been brought into the world.

Wrapped up in a pastel blue blanket, Ame breathed as peacefully as a newborn possibly could. Ookami held him close to his chest, wanting to ensure that he was warm enough, and he carefully used his thumb to wipe a stray tear away from the newborn's chubby cheek. He couldn't get over how much Ame looked like Hana, despite how he had been born with a full head of hair that was much closer to his color rather than hers. Although, aside from that, the rest of Ame's features seemed to match his mother's almost perfectly. Yuki was actually the same way, possessing Hana's dark brown irises, ivory complexion, and blackish/brunette hair that was tinted with the faintest shade of rust-like red. It looked more auburn than anything. The two of them really were mirror images of their mom ... and at some point in the future, Ookami would've actually loved to have another child with Hana.

For the briefest moment, as Hana's face filled his mind, a soft smile that was much more genuine than his previous one twisted across Ookami's lips. He had never thought that he would ever be so fortunate as to find such a fantastic woman, much less one that would accept him for the half human, half wolf being that he was and not to mention bear his children. Hana was a diamond in the rough of Ookami's life ... and he really did love her more than words could possibly describe. Ever since the day in which they first met—back when Hana had willingly chased him down in the halls of the university in order to prevent him from being marked as absent—she had been there for him in more ways that anybody would ever be able to understand.

Ookami continued to delicately stroke Ame's cheek, this time with his index finger, and he raised his head to look out the window again. It was still pouring down rain and the opposite side of the glass was completely splattered with water. Yet, despite how distorted the view from that tiny apartment was, Ookami could still make out that Hana was still nowhere in sight. It made his smile crumble away in less than a second, the worry in his dark blue eyes increasing as he felt something in the pit of his stomach beginning to grow a little tight. He couldn't tell whether it was his wolf instinct or his human instinct, but there was something inside of him that was telling him that something wasn't right.

Hana was a very strong woman. Despite how she had just recently given birth for the second time, she had been the one to insist on going out to get groceries. Ookami had tried convincing her to let him go instead, courtesy of how it was part of his nature as a Wolf Man to go out and hunt for fresh meat to bring back to his mate and offspring. After all, that's what he had done for Hana when she had given birth to Yuki; but Hana was persistent about being the one to go out this time. She sounded so cheerful, promising Ookami with a smile that she would be back before he knew it. He found her words to be reassuring and he couldn't resist smiling back as he finally agreed to stay back and watch over his pack. After that, the two shared a kiss and Hana was out the door ... but the hours had dragged on since then and she still hadn't returned.

At first, Ookami figured that she had just run into some friends—as she was much more of a social butterfly, at least compared to him—and had gotten caught up in talking. Nonetheless, as the clock kept ticking, it didn't take long before the Wolf Man no longer felt confident in that possibility. It wouldn't be like Hana at all to choose socializing over getting work done for her family, especially with a newborn now in the picture.

The next possibility that came to Ookami's mind was that Hana had forgotten that she had a shift at the dry cleaners and had no choice but to go there instead of going to get the groceries. However, that couldn't have been it either and the Wolf Man knew that. Hana knew her shifts like the back of her hand and she had just delivered a baby, meaning that going to work was out of the question for the time being. Plus, even if she did go to work, she would've called to have let Ookami know. His brain was just grasping at one possibility after another, trying to come up with one that would've lessened his worry over Hana's whereabouts. Unfortunately, that was much easier said than done.

Ookami's shoulders sunk as he then dropped his gaze down to one of the four jars that were lined up perfectly along the windowsill. It was the one that was filled with little white flowers—the same flowers that Hana had picked during their final walk before Ame was born. Ookami remembered every little detail of that day like it was yesterday. Yuki was sitting on top of his shoulders and tugging at his hair, while Hana was at his side with one hand on her bloated stomach and her other hand in his own. She had noticed the flowers first and her eyes practically sparkled like shooting stars, considering how the Wolf Man seemed to have gotten her into the habit of decorating the apartment with all sorts of simple, colorful, sweet-smelling flowers.

* * *

_"These look like they would be perfect in the apartment!" Hana had said, pointing at the large group of tiny, cream-colored flowers with the breeze whistling through her hair and the sun beaming down against her up-beat face. "What do you think?"_

_Ookami cringed, feeling Yuki pulling at his hair again. Nonetheless, at the sound of Hana giggling at the sight, the Wolf Man offered her a warm grin and gave his response in his usual, cool, calm voice._

_"I think that you're right. They're beautiful—an excellent choice and a great way for us to continue our tradition of picking flowers for our home."_

* * *

Ookami could still remember the delightful smile that had been decorating Hana's face on that day. Even when he closed his eyes—just as he did in that moment—the Wolf Man could see her as clear as crystal. He remembered the sweet scents of lavender, honeysuckle, and fresh dew, as well as the lukewarm air and the feeling of Hana's fingers gently brushing along the back of his ear in order to place one of the flowers there. It was just one of the hundreds of memories that he would never get.

However, the longer that Ookami kept his eyes shut, the more that he was beginning to realize that he was actually quite tired. His head was slowly starting to droop and no matter how many times he tried cracking his eyes back open, he would only be able to get his eyelids halfway before they ended up falling again. Even for an individual that was part wolf, Ookami had been the one to have gotten up all throughout the previous night in order to soothe Yuki whenever she woke up in need of a bottle, a fresh diaper, or just someone to hold her. Plus, when Hana was in labor with Ame, Ookami refused to go to sleep and was there to help her through every last contraction and push. Now, to top it all off, the Wolf Man had been keeping an eye on his newborn and his one-year-old daughter while trying to wait for his mate to return from the grocery store. It wasn't like the dreary weather helped at all either. Quite frankly, it was a miracle that Ookami didn't have any bags or dark circles around his eyes.

The Wolf Man really had fallen asleep, but only for a moment. Just as a snore began to creep its way up his throat, Ookami ended up shooting his head back up and popping his eyes back open.

Out of complete reflex, he let out a half-aware yelp, "Huh...?!"

It turns out, he had been woken up by Ame, who had suddenly started to fill the apartment with the sound of his cries again. He wiggled around as much as he could in his blanket cocoon, shedding tears as he screamed like the helpless infant that he was.

Ookami blinked repeatedly, trying to rid his eyes of any grogginess. Then, while lightly rocking and bouncing his son around in one arm, the Wolf Man reached his other arm out in order to retrieve the bottle of breast milk that was placed across from where he was sitting cross-legged on the floor. Fortunately, Hana had pumped some earlier and prepared a few bottles in case Ame got fussy and refused to nurse properly.

"Sh, sh, sh ... it's okay, son. Don't cry, don't cry. Shh..." Ookami shushed, readying the bottle by tilting it downwards. "Here you go. Drink up."

Almost immediately, as if it was by some miracle, Ame stopped crying and, without opening his tearful eyes, began to suck the milk delicately from the bottle.

Ookami let out a sigh of relief, right before he took a glance over his shoulder to check on Yuki since he no longer felt her squeezing and tugging at the back of his shirt. The one-year-old had actually fallen asleep, now curled up on the mass of warm blankets that were lying on the floor. She had her thumb in her mouth and her little, red and white, wolf-like doll was tucked close to her chest.

As soon as his eyes landed on that doll, Ookami thought back to when Hana had first made it. It was just a month or two prior to Yuki's birth and she had sewn that wolf-like doll with her own two hands. She had even made another one for Ame and it matched Yuki's doll perfectly, excluding the fact that Hana had made Ame's to be blue and white instead. The Wolf Man had always thought that his mate had a talent for looking beautiful, even when she was engaging in the most simplest tasks. Whether she was sewing, folding the laundry, washing the dishes, or even just eating ... he couldn't take his eyes off of her. To him, she was the most beautiful angel that had been sent down to earth—his godsend, to be exact.

"Oh, Hana..." Ookami sighed, just as he redirected his attention back over to the window and continued to watch as raindrops trickled down on the opposite side of the glass. "...Where are you?"

With every passing second, it felt like another century had went by since Hana had departed from the apartment. Ookami was still trying to make excuses for what was taking her so long, but all of the possibilities that his mind had to offer failed to either satisfy or reassure him.

Suddenly, the Wolf Man felt a small jerk in his arms. He looked down, only to realize that his infant son had turned his head away from the bottle in order to let out what was like a mix between a cough and a hiccup. Upon noticing this, Ookami sat the bottle of breast milk aside, used his finger to wipe away some leftover drops from Ame's lips, and then carefully lifted him up so his body could be lined up with his shoulder.

"Ah, there you go, Ame. Give Daddy a burp now." Ookami whispered, right before he started using one of his strong hands to gently pat his son's back. While doing this, the Wolf Man also began to quietly hum a relaxing tune in the hopes of preventing Ame from bursting out into another fit of sobs. Luckily, it seemed to work.

Ame made small, innocent, babyish sounds that could melt even the hardest person's heart. Then, after about twenty seconds, his little shoulders shook as he let out an adorable burp. Following that, the infant released a soft yawn and the Wolf Man could feel him resting his little head down against his shoulder. At last, as Ame started to draw in one delicate breath after another, it was easy for Ookami to declare that he had fallen asleep also.

The dark-haired man couldn't help but let out another breath, feeling glad that he had been able to get his son to rest. Now, with both of his children asleep, Ookami was finally able to get some sleep as well ... but that was the furthest thing from his mind. As exhausted as he was, his worry for Hana and his determination to get to the bottom of her whereabouts completely trumped his desire to get some shut-eye.

The Wolf Man stared out the window for about another minute, beginning to wonder if his mate really had brought the groceries back to the apartment and just left them outside by the door before heading off elsewhere—all without him noticing. After all, he had the habit of doing that whenever he felt the call of the wild luring him out to go find fresh meat. Plus, he had been rather occupied with Yuki and Ame for a majority of the day. He was the one to have prepared lunch for the one-year-old, as well as given her a bath, changed a couple of diapers, and gotten a head start on the laundry. He hadn't been sitting by the window for all of the hours that had went by since Hana's departure, which meant that she really could've returned without him noticing in order to drop off the groceries. However, despite how this theory provided more comfort to the dark-haired man compared to all of the other ones ... there was still something in his gut that made him feel uncertain.

"Hmm..."

Ookami narrowed his eyes in thought, continuing to look out the window and watch droplets of rain race down the glass for a couple of more seconds. Then, through the reflection in the glass, he was able to flick his attention back and forth from his son to his daughter. He didn't like the thought of either of them waking up, only to be told that their mom was still out there somewhere. So, in that moment, the Wolf Man had made up his mind on what he was going to do.

"Okay, you two..." Ookami's voice remained soft as he stood up from the floor, being careful as to not disturb Ame or Yuki's slumber. "Let's go find Mommy and bring her back home."

Fortunately, both children turned out to be heavy sleepers. So, the Wolf Man was able to get the two of them bundled up in their shoes and raincoats without waking either of them up. After that, despite having on his usual attire—dark blue sweatpants with his white, long-sleeved, stretched-out shirt—Ookami proceeded to slip on his sandals and his old, black, fur-trimmed coat. There was no time to put on more layers, courtesy of how he wanted nothing more than to track Hana down and bring her back to the apartment safe and sound. So, upon getting himself ready, the dark-haired man delicately placed Yuki in her maroon harness and secured it around himself so she would be sleeping against his back. Then, thinking fast, Ookami made a smart decision by using a white sheet to quickly create a second sling for Ame, as he and Hana only had the one harness. Finally, the Wolf Man placed the newborn safely in the sheet and kept him swaddled on the front of his chest. The entire time, Ookami also made sure that both of their hoods were up. With that, they were ready to go.

Ookami opened the door and stepped out onto the outside hall of the apartment building, immediately being greeted by the spring breeze. It was so chilly on this wet day, sending a shiver almost instantly through the Wolf Man's bones. However, when he looked down to check and see if there were any bags or other items lying beside the door, Ookami ended up feeling his heart take a startled leap in his chest. It came to his realization that there were no groceries or any signs at all of Hana previously returning, which meant that his theory of her coming back for at least a moment—the only theory that he truly felt at least somewhat comfortable with—had been proven to be impossible. She really hadn't come back, even after all of these hours.

The dark-haired man bit down on his bottom lip, feeling the worry inside of him beginning to spike all over again. He let out a breath of disappointment, right before he turned his head and also noticed that Hana hadn't taken the umbrella with her. It was still hanging in its usual spot on the opposite side of the door, not having a single drop of water on it. As soon as he saw that, the thought of his mate falling ill filled Ookami's brain and he let out a huff that was both nervous and disappointed.

"Hana ... why would you leave this behind in such awful weather?"

Upon asking that question under his breath, the Wolf Man reached a hand out, grabbed the umbrella, and opened it. He might've not had any problems with getting soaked, especially since he had hunted for fresh meat on multiple occasions in the rain; but this time, he had Yuki and Ame with him. As the head of his pack, he needed to keep them dry and prevent them from getting sick. So, even though Ookami hated the mental picture of Hana getting drenched from head to toe while carrying multiple bags of groceries all the way back to the apartment on her own, he was at least grateful to have a way to keep his children protected from the rainfall.

With the umbrella now positioned over his head, Ookami quickly closed the front door to the apartment and hurried off into the rain. He took long, hasty strides down the sidewalk, keeping his unoccupied arm wrapped underneath Ame's sling while also feeling Yuki's sleeping form bouncing against his back with every step that he took. His dark blue orbs glanced around in all sorts of directions, taking in all of the details that were around him as puddles splashed beneath his sandals. The freezing water completely drenched his feet and soaked the hems of his sweatpants, making the Wolf Man grit his teeth and shudder. Nevertheless, no matter how cold it was—even for an individual like him—he refused to falter and kept pursuing on his journey to find his partner.

Ookami had absolutely no idea whether or not he was going in circles, but he didn't care. If searching every last inch of Tokyo was what it took to locate Hana, then that's exactly what he was willing to do. He had lost count of the amount of chain-link fences that he had passed, as well as the number of vehicles that had nearly doused him as they sped too close for his liking down the wet roads. Fortunately, whether it was the result of his sixth sense or just pure luck, the Wolf Man was able to save himself—and his offspring—from getting splashed by quickly stepping aside or jumping away from the curbs. All the while, Ookami never stopped twisting and turning himself in every which way, making sure to observe every store, restaurant, and any other building that was in sight. Hell was going to have to freeze over before he decided to give up and go back to the apartment without Hana.

Eventually, after about an additional thirty minutes of walking around aimlessly, the dark-haired man found himself standing at a crosswalk that was surrounded by dozens of apartment complexes and tall business buildings with flashing lights. He frowned, waiting for the orange hand on the signal to flicker over to the blue silhouette of a pedestrian in order to inform him that he was able to walk across the road. As he did this, he watched as a yellow van cautiously entered the intersection, followed closely by a blue and white truck. In reality, Ookami was trying to look through all of the vehicles in order to examine the few people that were standing on the opposite end of the crosswalk, also holding umbrellas and waiting for the signal to change. The Wolf Man had been hoping that he would be able to spot his mate somewhere in the small crowd ... but he failed to do so.

Ookami hung his head and shut his eyes, letting out a heavy sigh of discouragement. He then brought his free hand up to his face, rubbing it in an attempt to get rid of the tiredness that was in the process of gradually returning to his system. He was also beginning to develop a minor headache from the weather and small rumbles were starting to erupt from the pit of his stomach, due to how Hana hadn't returned with the groceries and he hadn't been able to put together a proper meal for the two of them. Not only that, but the Wolf Man's feet felt as if they were seconds away from being frozen into two blocks of ice and the worry that he had for his missing partner was only growing stronger with every passing minute—if not every second.

"Come on, Ookami ... you can do this ... hell, you _have_ to do this." Ookami murmured to himself, just as he lifted his head back up, opened his eyes again, and pushed some of his hair out of his face. "She just has to be somewhere nearby. You'll find her ... just stay calm and keep moving. You'll be escorting her back home and having dinner with her before you know it."

Suddenly, just as he finished that final sentence, the dark-haired man ended up lowering his gaze in concern when he felt a small cough against his chest. He noticed that his newborn was beginning to stir a little, almost looking like he was going to begin crying again at any possible moment. As the result of this, Ookami thought on his feet and quickly lowered his unoccupied hand back down to Ame, sticking the tip of his index finger into his mouth to act as a pacifier.

"Sh, sh, sh! It's okay, son ... don't cry, don't cry..."

The Wolf Man couldn't help but sound a little desperate as he whispered those words to the infant, due to the fact that they were at least forty-five minutes away from their home—nowhere near any bottles, toys, or fresh diapers—and not to mention in the middle of searching for Hana in the downpour. A weeping baby would only make the whole scenario even more difficult to handle. Nonetheless, not long after he had placed his finger in the infant's mouth, Ame began to suck on it like he had never been stirring in the first place.

Ookami puffed his cheeks out, exhaling in relief. Then, while still waiting for the signal to change, he glanced back at his one-year-old daughter to see how she was doing. Fortunately, she was still fast asleep, head tilted back with her lashes meeting her cheeks and mouth hanging open. The dark-haired man could feel her breathing tranquilly against his back, causing the faintest shred of a grin to appear on his face. After that, as he turned back around to keep looking at the signal, he witnessed it switch over to the pedestrian symbol. At last, the Wolf Man was able to step out into the road and continue on with his task. The whole time, his finger stayed in Ame's mouth in order to keep him soothed.

Another fifteen minutes went by, consisting of Ookami searching up and down the streets of multiple neighborhoods. Now, he was walking down a bike lane on a single road that had smaller homes and alleyways placed on both sides of it. Due to the weather conditions, there weren't many other people that were out at this time. However, despite how the dark-haired man was the type of person who preferred keeping to himself, he was willing—strictly for Hana's sake—to reach out and ask questions.

Ookami stopped walking and turned his body in the direction of the opposite side of the road. There were only two other civilians in sight at this time—a bespectacled man that was wearing an entirely brown suit and a woman that had on a dull purple hoodie with a pair of black dress pants. They were in the other bike lane, heading in opposite directions with their own umbrellas being held over their heads.

"Excuse me!" Ookami called out over the sound of the rain, watching as the man and the woman both froze in their tracks in order to turn their heads in his direction. "Have either of you seen a young woman with mid-length, brownish/black hair and dark brown eyes? She's around here with her height, wearing a pastel yellow skirt with a pink blouse, a dark blue coat, white leggings, and brown shoes!"

While referring to Hana's height, the Wolf Man used his free hand—as Ame was no longer sucking on his finger—in order to gesture to the bottom of his neck.

The man in the brown suit raised a hand up to his chin, appearing to be thinking heavily about all of the information that had just been given. Then, with an apologetic expression forming on his face, the bespectacled gentleman gave his response.

"No, I'm afraid that I don't recall seeing someone that fits that description!"

The woman shook her head in regret, speaking up afterwards. "It's not ringing any bells for me either! I'm sorry!"

The Wolf Man wished that he could've gotten himself to believe that he hadn't revealed just how disappointed he was in their responses, but he knew that he couldn't. His shoulders had noticeably sunk and the look on his face easily showed just how uneasy and fatigued he was. Nonetheless, that didn't stop the dark-haired man from forcing the most realistic grin that he possibly could across his lips. It was a habit that he had picked up from his mate—to try to smile no matter what is going on. However, Hana was much better at it than he was.

"No, it's okay...! I appreciate you both taking the time to listen...!"

Even with the smile, Ookami's discontent was definitely noticeable in his tone. He bowed, right before he straightened himself back up, turned back in the direction that he needed to go, and made a move to continue on his way.

The bespectacled man waved. "I'll be sure to keep my eyes peeled!"

"I will as well! Good luck with your search!" declared the woman, who had also bowed. "Cute kids, by the way!"

Ookami gave a nod to let the two of them know that he had heard their comments, calling back, "Thanks!"

However, as soon as he turned away and started striding down the bike lane again, the dark-haired man's smile fell back into a frown. By this point, his worry had reached a whole new level. He was convinced that a new word just had to be created in order to describe it, but he was still far from willing to go back to the apartment. The air was noticeably getting colder and the storm was slowly beginning to escalate. Nevertheless, none of that changed how determined Ookami was to find Hana and ensure her well-being.

There still weren't many people out on the streets at this time, but whenever the Wolf Man did manage to stumble across someone, he would give the same description of his mate in the hopes of finding somebody that would confirm that they've seen her and knew where she was. Unfortunately, no matter how many times Ookami tried asking about Hana, he always received the same answer. Nobody was able to provide him with any information, which only made his disappointment increase even more with every passing second. He didn't even think that such a thing like that was possible by this point in his search, but he was wrong. It was ... and it was absolute hell to put up with.

Eventually, Ookami had given up on trying to ask other people about Hana and decided to go back to depending on just himself. He started calling out for her, making sure that he was raising his voice in order to have it heard over the rainfall while also making sure that he wasn't being too loud. He didn't want to risk drawing too much attention, especially with Yuki and Ame in his presence.

"Hana! ... Hana, where are you? ... Hana, can you hear me? ... Hana!"

This process carried on for about five or ten minutes. For all that Ookami knew, it could've actually been fifteen or twenty. Once again, he had lost track of time and it didn't matter to him. Regardless of how long it had been, it felt like centuries since he had last seen his partner. Not only that, but no matter how many times he tried calling out for Hana, the Wolf Man wasn't given any response from her.

At some point, Ookami found himself walking through a small passageway that was below a bridge and ascending up a concrete platform. It was lined with thick bushes that were held back by more chain-link fences, along with iron railings that prevented civilians from possibly falling into the road that was also provided beneath the bridge. Another concrete platform with similar fences and railings was constructed on the opposite side of the road as well.

With every step that the dark-haired man took, he never stopped taking in all of the details that were around him. When he made it to the middle of the platform, he ceased in his tracks and looked off in the direction of the other platform, hoping to see Hana walking along it. Unfortunately, just as he suspected—but had also been afraid of—he didn't see her anywhere. The entire time, multiple vehicles were driving up and down on both sides of the road that was nothing more than just a couple of feet below.

"Hana!" Ookami called out for what felt like the billionth time, still refusing to give up. "Hana, are you around here somewhere? ... Hana!"

He still received no answer, not even knowing by this point if he actually expected for something different or not. On the contrary, he was only hoping.

The Wolf Man softly shook his head, as if needing to break the news to himself that his mate was still nowhere to be found. Then, within seconds after that, he found himself becoming alert when he detected the sound of a long, soft yawn. If he had been in his wolf form, Ookami knew that his ear would've twitched.

A small, groggy voice spoke up, "...Daddy?"

Ookami didn't think twice before redirecting his attention over his shoulder, only to notice that Yuki's eyes were half open. She didn't look the slightest bit aware as to what was going on and was noticeably still tired. The hood of her bright yellow raincoat also looked like it was on the verge of falling down and the breeze was whistling through the few strands of her auburn hair that were exposed.

"Oh, Yuki ... do Daddy a favor and go back to sleep, okay?" Ookami instructed softly, once again forcing himself to put on the best grin that he could muster in that moment. "Everything's alright. Daddy has everything under control."

Yuki replied just as quietly and a little slowly, "Okay, Daddy..."

With that, her innocent eyes drooped shut and—much to Ookami's relief—she ended up drifting back off to sleep almost instantly. He then pinched a hold of her raincoat's hood and proceeded to fix it so it would be back over her head completely. Afterwards, despite how his smile didn't hesitate to fade away again, the Wolf Man positioned his arm underneath Ame's sling again and continued his walk. Occasionally, the wind would cause some of the raindrops to fly underneath the umbrella and smack him in the face, but Ookami kept refusing to allow himself to falter. Hana was worth going through anything.

The dark-haired muttered under his breath, "Come on, Ookami ... _think._ Where are some places that she would go?"

Upon making that comment to himself, Ookami settled on a plan. It might've not been an extremely specific one, but it was still something that provided him with at least some reassurance. He was going to head to the bridge that he and Hana crossed on almost a full daily basis—the bridge that he had almost confessed his secret on back when they had first started dating. The Wolf Man was convinced that if he went there, surely he would find out where his mate was.

Not even a split second after the bridge came to Ookami's mind, he rolled his eyes to himself and mentally asked why he didn't think of that destination sooner. Then, without allowing another moment to go to waste, he began to hastily jog in the direction that he needed to go. His grip on the umbrella remained firm, preventing it from getting taken away in the wind, and he paid no mind to the puddles as they continued to soak his feet and splash against his sweatpants with every step that he took.

Ookami might've had an impressive amount of stamina, but by this point, he had been searching all over the place for Hana for a little over an hour. He could feel strain beginning to build up in almost all of the muscles of his legs and his stomach felt like it was just moments away from caving in on itself. As much as the Wolf Man hated to admit it, all of this running around was really starting to take a toll on him. It also didn't help that he had already been hungry and mentally drained since the beginning, even hours before he had left the apartment. Being a father—particularly one that was part wolf and one to such young offspring—was nowhere near simple. Of course, Ookami wouldn't trade his pack for anything in the entire world; but that didn't change how he understood that he was going to need to get some rest very soon.

With a grunt, the dark-haired man couldn't help but come to a stop. He had been jogging in order to get to the bridge for at least ten-to-fifteen minutes straight, now standing on a sidewalk that was surrounded by hundreds of different small, cute, homey-looking shops. Ookami was really pushing his limits, having no choice but to take a moment to catch his breath. While doing so, he leaned himself forward, kept his one arm wrapped underneath the sling that was cradling his son, and rested his eyes shut. All the while, both of his children continued to sleep peacefully.

"Ugh ... dammit..." Ookami swore, wincing a little as he felt the chilly breeze torment his lungs with every deep breath that he drew in. "You've come all this way, Ookami. Don't give up now ... come on, this is for Hana..."

The Wolf Man continued to refill his lungs with oxygen for another five-to-ten seconds, giving each breath the chance to circulate before he let it out. Then, as he straightened himself back up and began to use the fur-trimmed portion of his jacket to wipe a couple of raindrops away from his face, Ookami caught something out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head to look at it entirely ... and that's when his gaze locked on Hakujūji—the pastry shop that turned out to be the prime location where he and Hana had always decided to meet up at before they agreed to live together in the apartment. That place held plenty of great memories. Ookami's most favorite one—though it was difficult to choose—was back when he had ran up to his mate, swept her off her feet, and began twirling her around after finding out that she was pregnant with Yuki.

As soon as that memory came back to the dark-haired man's mind, there was a piece of him that could've sworn that saw it beginning to play out right in front of him as clear as day. He remembered the sound of him and Hana laughing together, as well as the tears that began to pour down both of their faces from their overwhelming amount of joy. That day was one of the most beautiful ones that Ookami could recall from his entire life ... and despite how it had only been on his mind for less than fifteen seconds, it managed to give him a whole new burst of energy. As if his stamina had never been running low, the Wolf Man withdrew his attention from Hakujūji and began to jog at a much quicker pace down the sidewalk again. This time, there was a soft, much more genuine grin on his face—all because of that wonderful memory, which was still playing in his head like a scene from a movie.

Finally, after about another five minutes of jogging, the bridge came into view and Ookami was able to slow himself down to a normal walk. His faint smile was still molded across his lips, regardless of how his muscles were still screaming for him to let them rest and his feet were practically begging him to find a way to dry them off. As cliche as it might've sounded, just the thought of his partner made the Wolf Man feel like he was floating on cloud nine—and since he had made it to the area where the two of them walked almost everyday, he was beginning to feel much more confident in locating her.

Ookami began to approach the bridge, taking another glance over his shoulder to check on Yuki. It was easy to confirm that she was still fast asleep, drool trickling down from one of the corners of her mouth. Ookami almost chuckled at the sight, right before he lowered his attention on Ame to check on him as well. Like his sister, the newborn was also still slumbering. For the first time in what felt like years, the Wolf Man felt like he had absolutely everything under control.

"Ah, here we are..." Ookami whispered as he began to walk across the bridge, sticking close to the railing. "This bridge is actually very special to Daddy. One day, I hope that the two of you will be able to understand that. After all ... this is the place where I almost told your mother about how—"

Before he could finish that sentence, the dark-haired man ended up cutting himself off when he picked up the sound of someone—definitely a woman—letting out a small scream that sounded scared, sympathetic, and emotional all in one.

Confusion appeared on Ookami's face, making him look like a small child that was trying to understand a difficult Algebra problem. He didn't think twice before freezing in his tracks and turning his body in the direction of the abrupt shriek, batting his lashes in even more uncertainty.

"Huh? What the..."

The Wolf Man's attention automatically locked on a startling scene. There was an ambulance stationed on the road that intersected with the bridge, its red lights flashing in the rain and reflecting off the wet pavement. The back doors were opened and a gurney was rolled out, surrounded by three paramedics who looked absolutely crestfallen. Not only that, but from where he was standing, Ookami was also able to make out two things. One, there was what looked like tire marks spewed across the road, as if somebody had been driving in a reckless manner. And two ... the fence that prevented people from falling into the shallow canal below had noticeably been broken in a specific area—like something large and heavy had slammed into it. There were even some tire tracks that led up to it, despite there not being any other vehicle in sight.

There were a couple of bystanders that were observing everything from beneath their own umbrellas. One of them was the woman that had screamed, who had one of her hands placed over her mouth in shock. Whether she was trying to hold back the urge to throw up or let out another shriek, it was difficult to tell. Not only that, but beside the woman, there was the same bespectacled gentleman that Ookami had come across earlier. He looked absolutely horrified, keeping an arm wrapped around the woman's back in order to prevent her from collapsing to the ground in her skirt and heels.

Other bystanders looked just as appalled and disturbed by what was going on right in front of them. There was even another man that had removed his hat and placed it over his heart, followed by him frowning and bowing his head.

"Oh no..." Ookami muttered, feeling pity beginning to bubble up inside of him as he continued to stare particularly at the ambulance. "Looks like an accident happened..."

Shortly after those words left his mouth, the Wolf Man witnessed a fourth paramedic step out from the back of the ambulance. His shoulders were slumped and he looked absolutely ashamed, holding a black item in his arms. It was unmistakably a body bag. He handed it off to the three other paramedics, who immediately started preparing it on the gurney. The fourth paramedic, on the other hand, approached the gate that was built into the fence and opened it.

Ookami blinked, witnessing the fourth paramedic proceed to turn himself around and begin to carefully climb down the ladder that was built into the wall of the canal. He had never pictured himself in this situation before—stumbling across an incident while having Yuki and Ame with him—but if he had, one of the last things that the Wolf Man ever imagined him doing was remaining near the area in which the accident had occurred. After all, he wouldn't want to risk having either of his children scarred for the rest of their lives ... but in that moment, Ookami couldn't fight his curiosity. It was almost like he was being compelled to remain where he was on that bridge, despite not knowing why.

With confusion and sympathy still flowing through his veins, the dark-haired man lowered his gaze even more into the canal to see what was going on. He cocked an eyebrow, feeling his confusion take an even sharper increase as soon as he saw a certain item floating in the water. It was a plastic bag that contained a loaf of bread; but it didn't take long for the Wolf Man to realize that that wasn't the only thing that was down there. On the contrary, the loaf of bread was surrounded by various cans, boxes, and bags of vegetables that were being soaked to the point where none of the contents would be able to be eaten. There were even some containers of baby formula and a couple of the boxes just so happened to contain Yuki's most favorite type of graham crackers.

"Is that ... _groceries_ down there?" Ookami inquired under his breath, narrowing his eyes in thought. "Why would there be—"

He dragged his gaze over each of the drenched items in a mixture of concern and uncertainty. However, before the Wolf Man could try finishing his next question ... his eyes ended up crossing over something else that was also lying in the shallow water of the canal. It took less than a second for Ookami to figure out what it was ... and almost immediately after his eyes landed on it, he felt them grow so much to the point where a piece of him could've sworn that they were on the verge of popping out of their sockets. At the same time, Ookami's jaw practically fell to the ground and he felt his fingers go limp, causing him to lose his grip entirely on the umbrella. Nonetheless, even when the umbrella fell to the ground and exposed the Wolf Man, along with his children, entirely to the cold rain ... Ookami's traumatized gaze never broke away from what had caused him to shut up.

Amongst the different foods that were in the process of being ruined by the shallow water ... there was the body of a woman in the canal—but not just any woman.

* * *

_"It was **her.** We'll never know what Mom was thinking that day. Maybe she was excited to return home, excited to come back to her offspring and her mate after her motherly instinct had driven her out into the rain to stock up on food for her newborn. She wouldn't have even cared about her lack of an umbrella. She would've been too busy smiling, coming back home to feed her family ... only to have her life taken from her in an accident." ~ Yuki_

* * *

... It was _Hana_ that was lying in the canal, completely soaked from head to toe. She was positioned on her back, but her head was turned in Ookami's direction. Half of her face was almost entirely submerged, causing her hair to drift around in the freezing water. Her eyes were closed and there was blood gushing down from a massive wound on her forehead, completely clashing with her pale skin. There was also blood leaking down the side of her neck and trickling along one of the corners of her mouth. Not only that, but her clothes had been ripped and splattered with even more blood. The amount of bruises and lacerations that she had made it look as if she had been attacked by a wild animal. To top it all off, one of Hana's shoes were floating around, revealing a nasty gash on her foot, and the water was tinted with an unnerving shade of crimson. Needless to say, the scene was positively gruesome and petrifying.

Yet another paramedic—a fifth one—was down on one knee beside Hana's motionless body, shaking his head softly in regret. Two other men—garbage workers, judging by their uniforms—were in the middle of cleaning up the discarded groceries with utter disappointment decorating their features.

As soon as the Wolf Man had been able to confirm that it was his mate's body that was lying as still as a statue in the waterway, multiple things had happened. First, all of the noises that were around him—particularly the heavy rainfall and the wind that was blowing through a variety of nearby trees—literally faded away on deaf ears, as if the entire universe had stopped. Second, as Ookami continued to stare down into the dreary canal, he let out what sounded like a mixture between a small cry and a mortified gasp. His eyes were still the size of two plates and they were already beginning to fill with hot tears, which were the third thing to have been triggered by the sight of Hana's bloodied body. Lastly, the fourth and final thing to have happened with the dark-haired man was his brain beginning to replay every single memory that contained his partner's presence.

To Ookami, it literally felt like somebody had just kicked him with full force in the stomach. Then, they went ahead and proceeded to pop his chest open, reach their hand in, grab his heart, and yank it out without even the tiniest shred of remorse. He was overcome with a tsunami of emotions—terror, pain, sorrow, denial, and the list could go on for miles. In fact, it was so overwhelming to the point where the Wolf Man had to snatch a hold of the railing that was in front of him in order to prevent him from collapsing to the ground in shock.

This was the woman that had changed his entire life, the treasure that he knew deep down inside that nobody on the whole planet would ever be good enough to have. Hana had chased him down in the halls of the university, all because she wanted to make sure that he didn't get marked as absent. Then, despite his defensive and mysterious demeanor, she was still willing to follow him and offer to help him with the class that they were in by sharing her textbook. She had even snuck him into the library, not once ever faltering from the thought of being caught, and proceeded to pick out more books with him.

This was the woman that never stopped smiling, the woman that was constantly being fueled by the goodness in her heart. She had given Ookami a home, a place where he belonged—just like he had always dreamed of. She accepted him for who he was, not once ever being shaken by his wolf half; and on the night in which Ookami revealed his secret to her, the two of them made love for the first time. Hana had always been gentle, understanding, optimistic, and generous—even when the Wolf Man didn't believe that he deserved to receive such behavior. Overall, she was the love of his life and the mother of his children. They had been building a great life together ... and now, after spending not nearly enough years as a couple, this was how the dark-haired man had to find his partner.

Ookami drew in one shaky breath after another, his lungs literally feeling like they had been deflated. He could feel dozens of tears already beginning to escape from his eyes and trickle uncontrollably down his cheeks—not that it was one hundred percent noticeable, courtesy of the raindrops that were also in the process of drenching the Wolf Man from head to toe.

Suddenly, upon squeezing his eyes shut and popping them back open in the hopes of this just being one hell of a nightmare, Ookami noticed the paramedic that had been climbing down the ladder come to a stop. He was now in the middle of the ladder, continuing to hold onto one of the bars with one hand as he twisted himself around at the waist. Then, with his other hand, the paramedic motioned for his fellow coworker—the one that was knelt down beside Hana's body—to do something. Due to his enhanced hearing, Ookami was able to hear the paramedic on the ladder say, "Come on ... let's move her."

The Wolf Man clenched his eyes shut again, this time even harder than before. However, when he opened them for the second time, not only did it hurt to see this whole scenario still playing out right in front of him ... but Ookami also saw the fifth paramedic reach down towards Hana. He slipped one arm carefully underneath her legs and wrapped his other arm just as delicately around her back, right before he stood up and proceeded to hold her close to his chest like a bride. Yet, with all of her injuries and the fact that each of her limbs continued to dangle in a lifeless manner, it was the sad truth that Hana held a much stronger resemblance to a battered doll.

"N-no ... no, no, _no...!_" Ookami kept muttering that word to himself in a panic, as if it would somehow alter the events that were occurring right before his eyes.

With his hands trembling and knees on the verge of buckling, the dark-haired man watched as the fifth paramedic trudged sadly through the canal. Then, when he made it over to the ladder, he lifted Hana up for the next paramedic to take. As the paramedic that was on the ladder did just that, the paramedic that had been kneeling down beside Hana's body in the first place took the time to retrieve her other shoe from the water.

One of the other paramedics—who noticeably must've been the one in charge—remained by the head of the gurney with his head hanging. The final two paramedics, on the other hand, didn't think twice before jogging over to the gate. They waited for their coworker to climb up a little, right before they reached their hands down and took Hana's corpse. One of them supported everything from above her waist, while the other supported everything from beneath her thighs. Then, as the fourth and fifth paramedic continued to climb up the canal's ladder, leaving the garbage workers alone to continue cleaning up the useless groceries, the two other paramedics proceeded to carry Hana's body over to the gurney. When they made it, they placed her down like she was made out of glass ... and the body bag had already been prepared beneath her. It was evident that the paramedics were just moments away from zipping it shut.

That's when Ookami reacted. Just as he saw one of the paramedics beginning to reach their hand out towards the zipper, he broke out of the trance-like state that he was in, tore his hand away from the railing, and _sprinted._ His legs were moving faster than they ever have before, making it seem like he was bolting away from the devil himself.

Upon rounding the corner of the bridge and stepping back out onto the road that intersected with it, the Wolf Man began charging towards the ambulance. Everything felt like it was playing in slow motion and he almost tripped over his own feet on multiple occasions; but that didn't stop Ookami from continuing to run. All the while, he paid no mind to any of the bystanders—as he was positive that he was catching all of their attention by this point—and he kept his eyes locked on his mate's still body.

Ookami's voice tore through the rainfall, calling out at the tops of his lungs, "H-HANA!"

Almost immediately, all five of the paramedics lifted their heads in order to see what was happening. As soon as they noticed Ookami, who had already began to reach his arms out in order to indicate that he wanted to run up to Hana's corpse, the one that was in charge quickly stepped around to the front of the gurney and used his own arms to block the dark-haired man's path.

Ookami skidded to a rough halt, breathing hard with a mixture of tears and raindrops continuing to pour down his face. Nonetheless, he still made an attempt to reach over the head paramedic's shoulder in order to grab a hold of Hana's hand. However, the head paramedic had stopped him, snatching a firm hold of his wrist and forcing him to pull his arm back.

"Let me through! Let me through!" Ookami barked, sounding just as frantic as he looked. He kept pushing his body as much as he could against the body of the head paramedic, only to keep getting blocked.

"Sir! Sir, you need to stay back!"

"Like hell I do!" The Wolf Man's attention never broke away from his partner's corpse, eyes still overflowing with tears and face contorted in a blend of pain, terror, and anger. "Get the hell out of my way! Hana! Hana!"

The paramedic that was in charge refused to budge, his face expressing concern as he continued to remain between the Wolf Man and the gurney.

"Sir, please! You can't come any closer!"

Ookami protested almost immediately. "Don't you dare tell me that! That's my mate!"

As soon as that final sentence left the dark-haired man's mouth, the four other paramedics noticeably became tense. They straightened themselves up, looking down at Hana's body before they began exchanging wide-eyed glances. They looked as if they had just seen a ghost, all four of them becoming paler than sheets in the blink of an eye.

The head paramedic, on the other hand, looked like a deer that had been caught in headlights. He literally looked as if he had forgotten how to breathe for a moment, the concern automatically beginning to melt away. Within seconds, it was replaced by a look of utter sympathy and regret.

One of the other four paramedics had no choice but to turn away, covering his mouth with his gloved hand as he shakily muttered, "O-oh my God..." He couldn't even get himself to keep looking at Ookami, especially after realizing that he had two young children strapped to his body.

The head paramedic slowly repeated the Wolf Man's final two words, still standing his ground between the dark-haired man and the gurney.

"Your mate...?"

"Yes, my mate! She's my mate!" Ookami confirmed, finally agreeing to make eye contact with the paramedic that was in charge. "What the hell happened?! Is she okay?!"

The head paramedic frowned, studying the frenetic look that was on the Wolf Man's face with the pitiful glow in his eyes growing brighter. His shoulders sunk and he exhaled through his nose, right before he placed a hand against Ookami's shoulder. Then, the head paramedic had no choice but to deliver the worst news that nobody on the entire planet ever deserved to hear.

"Sir ... I'm sorry that I have to tell you this, but ... she was the victim of a hit-and-run. She was struck with the vehicle and thrown all the way down into the canal, where she likely suffered shattered bones and internal bleeding. Although, it's safe to assume that her death was more than likely instantaneous ... because by the time that we arrived, it was clear to us that ... we were unable to do anything to bring her back. You have our deepest, most sincere condolences."

Right then and there, Ookami could've sworn that he felt three things—an invisible rock slamming him in the chest, his stomach beginning to sink all the way down to his feet, and especially his heart shattering. He was starting to visibly shake, staring directly into the eyes of the head paramedic like he was waiting desperately for it to be revealed that this was just some type of sick joke.

"N-no! ... No, that's _not_ possible! S-she's _not_ dead! S-she _can't_ be!" Ookami bellowed, clenching his teeth as sobs began to rip through his throat. "T-t-this just has to be s-some type of mistake! S-s-she's not freaking dead!"

The head paramedic squeezed his shoulder, evidently trying to calm him down and provide him with at least a sprinkle of comfort. Although, it was obvious that he had grimaced by how the volume of the Wolf Man's voice had increased.

"Sir, I know that this must be _extremely_ difficult for you ... but I'm afraid that considering the circumstances, her chances of survival would've been nonexistent. She ... really is gone..."

Ookami shook his head in denial, causing his wet hair to flop around like the mane of a lion. At the same time, he squeezed his eyes shut and forced hundreds of more tears to spill rapidly down his cheeks.

"N-no...! No, no, s-shit _no!_ I-I watched her leave with my own eyes just a couple of hours ago! S-she was_ fine!_" Ookami had to stop, letting himself sniffle and continue to sob for a couple of seconds before going on. "S-s-she was just going out to get groceries! T-that's all! She ... s-she was going to come back to me! To_ us!_ ... C-Christ, this _can't_ be happening!"

By this point, the three other paramedics looked like they were seconds away from allowing their emotions to get the better of them. In fact, the fourth paramedic that had turned away just a moment or two before was trembling with his hand still placed firmly over his mouth. It was safe to assume that he hadn't been able to fight the urge anymore, and he had also started crying.

The head paramedic slowly withdrew his hand from the Wolf Man's shoulder and bowed his head, giving another apology like that would somehow make the pain go away.

"I'm very sorry, sir—"

"_Stop_ saying that! I-I keep telling you, dammit...! S-she's _not_ dead...!"

Ookami squeezed his hands into fists, feeling his heart picking up the pace more and more with every passing second. His mind was spinning, still replaying hundreds of memories that revolved around Hana. However, at the same time, it was trying to process all of the information that had just been given him. All it took was one look at Hana's body on the gurney to know that she was dead ... but after everything that the two of them had been through together, Ookami wasn't willing to accept it—especially not right off the bat, all while Yuki and Ame were strapped to his body.

The Wolf Man pushed the head paramedic aside, letting out a tearful grunt. Then, he practically threw himself at the gurney, tossing one arm carefully across Hana's chest and using his opposite hand to begin stroking her drenched hair. He lowered his face so the tips of their noses were almost touching, perfectly able to smell the blood and see every little detail that was incorporated into all of her wounds. As this happened, tears continued to trickle down Ookami's cheeks like individual waterfalls and he tried to cling to the hope that all of this really was just a mistake. Hana just couldn't have been dead.

The other paramedics—despite their sympathy—made moves to remove the distraught man from the gurney. However, before they could, they froze in their tracks when the one that was in charge lifted his hand up and said with disappointment, "It's okay ... give him a minute."

Ookami rested his forehead against Hana's hairline, shoulders shaking and distress literally flowing through every last one of his veins. He was a noticeable wreck, crying harder than he ever had in his entire life. He was trying his hardest to remember the smells of her shampoo and perfume, obviously preferring those scents over the sharp aromas of blood and dirty water. All the while, he refused to look away from her closed eyes, just wanting them to open more than words could possibly describe.

"H-Hana, come on ... you _have_ to be in there. You _can't_ be gone. P-please ... sweetheart, _please_ open your eyes ... a-and show me one of those gorgeous smiles that I love so much. Please, Hana ... s-show us all that you're not ... n-not ... _dead..._" A whimper escaped from Ookami's lips as he said that last word, his mouth quivering as it fell into an even heavier and more heart-wrenching frown. "W-we've been through so much, Hana. T-this just can't be the end...! I-I love you too damn much to lose you...! We have two kids together! H-Hana, please ... I-I _can't_ do this on my own. I need you ... s-so, please ... just _please_ _... open your eyes,_ baby ... I-I swear, I'll do _anything...!_"

With every passing second, the Wolf Man could literally feel the pain inside of him growing more and more unbearable—especially when he noticed that his mate hadn't moved or somehow reacted to anything that he had just said. In that moment, as much as Ookami absolutely despised having to admit it ... he knew that this really was one of his worst nightmares come true. Hana—the love of his life and the mother of his children—was dead. What he was holding, smelling, caressing, and talking to ... was nothing more than just her empty body. Her cheerful soul was gone, taking her vibrant smile and her up-beat eyes with it.

"Oh, God ... oh my God...! Hana...! Hana, no!" Ookami wailed, unable to stop some of his tears as they dripped off of his face like they would from a broken faucet and landed on his partner's cheeks. "Oh, God! Please, Hana...! God, not her...! W-why couldn't it have been _me_ instead?! Why did it have to be _her?! ..._ I-I-I loved her so much...! Oh, my poor Hana...! No...!"

With that, the Wolf Man buried his face in Hana's chest, feeling how cold, damp, and still it was. It was impossible to describe how badly he wanted to scream, especially when he didn't hear the sound of her heartbeat. Nonetheless, all Ookami did was continue to sob against the bloodied fabric of Hana's blouse, wanting nothing more than to feel her arms wrap around him and fingers begin to brush through his soaked hair. Unfortunately, no matter how long the dark-haired man remained where he was—and it sure as hell felt like centuries—his mate didn't move a muscle.

Suddenly, after about a minute of sobbing into Hana's chest, Ookami felt somebody place a hand against the back of his shoulder. Sniffling, he lifted his head up and glanced back, only to end up seeing the head paramedic staring back at him with regretful eyes.

"Sir? I'm sorry, but ... we need to take her away now."

Hearing those words made the Wolf Man feel like he had just been stabbed with the sharpest knife in all of existence. It was more than evident that he wanted to keep holding onto Hana's body and not let the gurney go anywhere ... but at the same time, he knew deep down inside that doing that would change nothing.

Ookami glanced back down at Hana, watching as more of his tears fell from his face and plopped against her own. Then, with his fingers trembling, the Wolf Man delicately pushed a few strands of his partner's hair out of her face. Finally, while choking on another cry, he leaned down close to her face again; and this time, he allowed the tip of his nose to touch hers.

"Hana ... I-I'm so, _so_ sorry ... I-I promise, our children and I ... will _always_ love you..." Ookami whispered, feeling his lips trembling and eyes stinging as he placed a kiss against his mate's bruised cheek. "O-oh, Hana...!"

Just like that, the dark-haired man broke down into a fit of tearful wails all over again. He had never experienced such an intense amount of pain before, not even when he was left to raise himself on the street for a majority of his life. In fact, the pain was so strong to the point where Ookami almost found himself clinging to the gurney after all. In the end, the only reason why he ended up backing away from Hana's corpse was because of the head paramedic, who had approached the gurney again and proceeded to untangle the Wolf Man's arms himself. Meanwhile, two of the other paramedics positioned themselves at opposite ends of the gurney and the final paramedic—the one that had turned away in order to hide the fact that they were crying—grabbed the zipper of the body bag.

Ookami flew his hands up to his mouth, forcing himself to choke on another loud sob. His vision flickered back and forth from blurry to clear, watching as the body bag was slowly zipped up until Hana's entire corpse was no longer visible. He had made sure to stare at her face until he could no longer see it, still feeling the rough cries ripping through his entire body. At last, after the body bag was strapped down, Ookami witnessed the gurney get rolled into the back of the ambulance. Out of instinct, he had tried taking a step forward to go after his mate; but he stopped as soon as the head paramedic held out a hand and shook his head at him. Even without exchanging any words, the Wolf Man knew that he was being told that he was unable to go with them.

Three of the paramedics stayed in the back of the ambulance, letting Ookami get one final look at the body bag that contained his mate's deceased body before they slammed the doors shut. The fourth paramedic then ran around to the passenger's side of the emergency vehicle, hopping in without looking back. He just couldn't bear to see the Wolf Man's devastation for another second. That just left the head paramedic, who had made sure that the back doors were secured before he gave the dark-haired man one last apologetic glance. After that, he ran around to the driver's side of the ambulance and jumped in. The vehicle sped off down the street just moments after that, leaving Ookami in the street to watch it go.

The Wolf Man took a couple of more distraught steps, as if he were debating on whether or not he should chase after the ambulance. Nonetheless, as soon as he saw it disappear around the corner at the far opposite end of the road, Ookami found his legs quivering beneath him like they had suddenly transformed into two spaghetti noodles. He ended up falling to his knees, hiding his face behind his hands as he filled the air with the sound of him weeping like tomorrow didn't exist. In fact, his cries were so loud and heartbreaking to the point where they almost perfectly matched the volume of the rainfall. Yet, the entire time, Ame and Yuki continued to remain fast asleep.

One of the bystanders—the bespectacled man in the brown suit from earlier—slowly approached the Wolf Man with this look in his eyes that made it as clear as day that his heart was filled with compassion. Then, after making it over to the part of the road where Ookami was, the bespectacled man didn't think twice before holding his umbrella out. He positioned it over Ookami, Yuki, and Ame, protecting them from the rain and allowing himself to get drenched—all without saying a word. Although, it wasn't necessary since his actions spoke for him.

In that moment, as the Wolf Man continued to sob into his hands, he knew that he had no choice but to accept the heartbreaking reality.

Hana was dead.

She wasn't going to be coming home for dinner that night, nor was she going to be walking through the door of that apartment ever again.

No more dreams of her raising Yuki and Ame with him, or of the two of them moving to the countryside to take the next step in building their life together. They wouldn't be getting married or having another kid, nor would they be growing old at each other's sides.

Now, all of these things were nothing more than just fantasies ... because fate had declared in the form of a hit-and-run that Hana was never coming back.

Ame and Yuki no longer had their mother in the picture. Now, the only person that they had to truly depend on was their father ... and Ookami knew this.

Raising his half-human, half-wolf children ... was _entirely_ up to him now.


	2. The Dream & the Promise

**A/N: Hello, all of my fantastic viewers! :D :D**

**Recently, I have made the decision that I _will _make this story of mine into a mini series! I'll be rewriting scenes from the movie and showing how events would've played out if Ookami had been the one to have been present in that scene instead of Hana! However, keep in mind that writing genuinely takes time and I don't have any specific schedule when it comes to updates. Plus, I'm working on a few other projects alongside this. So, please understand that updates might take some time and be patient with me. I would greatly appreciate it. :)**

**I'll also be trying to do the scenes in chronological order. With that being said, the next scene would be Ookami handling Yuki and Ame on his own in the apartment. Judging by what I have planned for that next chapter, it's going to take me some time to put together. Nonetheless, I'm sure that it'll come together greatly in the end. :)**

**I would also like to thank Wolfsong6913 and Missnasa for taking the time to review the first chapter! Seriously, there are no words that could possibly describe how much your comments made me smile! It meant a lot and I kept looking back on them while writing this chapter! :D :D *Heart emojis* **

**Everyone, please keep in mind that reviews make my day! I always look forward to your feedback and I appreciate it greatly! So, don't hold back on sharing your thoughts in the reviews or you can PM them to me at anytime! Thanks again, everyone! Please review! :) :)**

**Anyway, I believe that I stated everything that I wanted to say. It's time for the second chapter of "Roles Switched," so I hope that you're all ready!**

**Happy reading, everybody! Enjoy! *Heart emoji***

* * *

**Wolf Children: Roles Switched Series (2) ~ The Dream & the Promise**

* * *

_Ookami could feel every inch of his body being bathed in sunlight as he looked up at the sky, seeing that it was filled with hundreds of perfect, fluffy, marshmallow-like clouds. He couldn't exactly put his finger on the reason as to why—at least, not at that very moment—but there was something about his surroundings that made him feel almost mesmerized._

_A gentle, lukewarm breeze whistled through the clean air. It caressed Ookami's cheeks and whistled through his hair, carrying the wonderful scents of lilacs, bluebells, honeysuckle, and roses. Although, none of those flowers were in sight. Instead, from as far as the Wolf Man's eyes could see, he was completely surrounded by endless stretches of fields that consisted of nothing more than just tall grass. Every inch of the land was a beautiful mixture of bright green and gold, looking almost **too **healthy and **too **perfect to **possibly **be true._

_The grass didn't even feel scratchy, nor was it sticky from water or dirt. On the contrary, it felt as soft as feathers and was incredibly warm to the touch—as if the ground was topped with a massive blanket that had just been taken out of the dryer._

_Ookami lowered his gaze from the sky, batting his lashes like a child that was in awe. Then, as he slowly traced a piece of the grass between two of his fingers, something else caught his attention._

_Without making a sound, the Wolf Man dropped his attention entirely to the ground ... and that's when he saw a vibrant purple flower, growing just a couple of inches away from one of his bare feet. Despite its fragile size, its beauty was immense and it certainly stood out from the rich colors of the grass. However, it didn't take long for Ookami to realize that this wasn't just **any **flower. On the contrary, it was a **Cosmos.**_

_In that moment, upon watching the Cosmos delicately dance around in the wind, the Wolf Man suddenly got the feeling that he wasn't alone. He turned his head to glance over his shoulder, right before he decided to just turn his body around entirely. As soon as he did that ... there were no words that could possibly describe the amount of joy and surprise that had filled Ookami's chest. Indeed, he saw that his instinct was correct and he really wasn't the only person that was standing in the majestic field._

_About thirty feet away from where Ookami was standing, there was ... **Hana.** She was staring directly at him, smiling gracefully with her hair gently swaying in the breeze and her skin practically shimmering from the sunlight. She was wearing the same, knee-length, light blue dress that she had been wearing on the day in which the Wolf Man could've sworn that he had first fallen in love with her. Not only that, but Hana also had a tiara that was constructed entirely out of pink, purple, and white Cosmos flowers placed neatly on top of her head. In all of Ookami's years of knowing her, he couldn't deny that this was the **most **angelic that he had **ever **seen her look._

_Hana's eyes were filled with love and life, while the Wolf Man's eyes were overflowing with a blend of excitement and elation._

_Regardless of how there was no noise, Ookami could **still **feel his heart thumping for joy as a wide smile of pure delight spread practically ear-to-ear across his face. It was evident that he was about to run across the meadow in order to get to Hana, wanting nothing more than to throw his arms around her, sweep her off her feet, and spin her around like he had done on the day in which they had found out that she was pregnant with Yuki._

_However, before Ookami could try taking more than three steps ... he found himself coming to a halt when he noticed the change in Hana's smile. The fondness that was in her eyes never faltered, but her grin had noticeably become much softer and more sympathetic. She softly shook her head at the Wolf Man, not saying a word. As this happened, a strange noise suddenly started filling the air every few seconds—like water that was dripping from a faucet. Nonetheless, Ookami didn't pay hardly any attention—if any at all—to the abrupt noise and kept his gaze locked firmly on his mate._

_**Drip, drop ... drip, drop...**_

_At first, while staying frozen in his tracks, Ookami couldn't help but grow confused. His smile crumbled away from his face, only to be replaced by an inquisitive stare. He raised his shoulders in a shrugging motion, as if he were asking Hana why she was shaking her head at him. In return, the dark-haired woman folded her hands neatly in front of herself and tilted her head a little to the side. As she did this, the compassion in her expression visibly increased._

_**Drip, drop ... drip, drop...**_

_It only took a couple of more seconds before the Wolf Man realized what his mate was silently telling him ... and as soon as it did, he could've sworn that it felt like somebody had just slammed him in the chest with a brick. The memories were coming back to him—the freezing downpour, Hana's bloodied body lying in the canal, the paramedics breaking the news to him, him breaking down into a fit of sobs and collapsing to his knees in the middle of the street ... it all made sense now._

_** Drip, drop ... drip, drop...**_

_Ookami's shoulders sunk quicker than quicksand, his heart filling with dread and lungs feeling like they were being deflated. A heavy frown of both pain and disappointment fell across his face, just as the corners of his eyes started to feel like they were beginning to grow a little wet._

_"Hana?"_

_Despite how no sound left his mouth, the Wolf Man still moved his lips and said his mate's name. All the while, the odd sound of what was like water dripping from a faucet—which only made this whole scenario even **more **upsetting somehow—continued to fill the air._

_** Drip, drop ... drip, drop...**_

_Hana's brown irises twinkled like stars as she stared at Ookami for another five or so seconds, giving him the chance to take in the reassurance that was incorporated into her smile. After that, as the breeze continued to brush through her silky hair and make the bottom of her dress flutter ... Hana turned away from the dark-haired man. She then started to walk away, keeping each of her steps nimble and calm. All the while, the grass moved along with her in a manner that was almost magical._

_Ookami's entire body immediately tensed up and his eyes grew with panic. He had already had to say goodbye to the love of his life once, having no choice but to watch her corpse get stored away in a body bag before she was taken away from him in an ambulance. He wasn't ready to let her go again, especially after seeing her presented in the manner that she was._

_"Hana!" Ookami called out again, his lips still moving and voice still not coming out. "Hana, wait! Please!"_

_** Drip, drop ... drip, drop...**_

_The dark-haired woman kept walking, never looking back. Although, with every move that she made, the more colorful that the Cosmos flowers seemed to appear in her hair._

_A single tear escaped from the Wolf Man's left eye and trickled down his cheek, just as he—technically—hollered out one final time, "**Hana!**"_

* * *

Ookami's whole body twitched as he woke up out of nowhere. He cracked his eyes open, automatically noticing just how rubbery they felt and how much they stung from the amount of tears that he had been shedding. Within seconds, regardless of how he was still in the process of waking up, it occurred to him that everything that he had just witnessed had been nothing more than a dream—possibly Hana's way of giving him a proper goodbye since the two of them hadn't been provided with a moment like that in the first place.

The Wolf Man slowly lifted his head from the table, where he had fallen asleep shortly after arriving back at the apartment. The look on his face perfectly resembled the look that a lost puppy would have—lips molded into a helpless frown and eyes completely red-rimmed, puffy, and overflowing with sorrow.

The storm had stopped and everything was now unbelievably quiet. However, in Ookami's mind, he could _still_ hear all of the noises from earlier—the rain pouring, the wind screeching, the sirens from the ambulance blaring, and the sound of his own sobs practically tearing through his throat. Surely, he was going to be haunted for the rest of his life by all of the details that were incorporated into him discovering the deceased body of his mate.

"Hana..." Ookami whispered, sounding incredibly drained as all of the details from his dream started bleeding into his mind and mixing with the ones from the hit-and-run scene. "Oh, Hana ... if I _had_ to lose you ... why did it have to be like _this?_"

Shortly after he finished that question, the Wolf Man felt his bottom lip begin to tremble. He bit down on it a couple of seconds later, only to have his teeth begin to chatter against it from him holding back the urge to begin bawling again. He squeezed his eyes shut, wanting to prevent them from possibly growing watery for the billionth time. As he did this, Ookami winced from how much they stung and he curled his hands into fists—like that would somehow assist him in pulling himself back together. In fact, he was holding his hands into such firm fists to the point where they began to shake and his knuckles became whiter than flour almost instantly.

Ookami couldn't even think of the words to describe just how _strong_ the misery that he was feeling actually _was._ His whole chest felt completely hollow and sore, as if there was a giant bruise that was located directly beneath his skin. Even when he did as much as draw in a slow and shaky breath, it ached more than anyone could ever imagine. Not only that, but the dark-haired man couldn't ignore just how cold and empty the apartment now felt. Without Hana's presence, this home ... no longer felt like an _actual _home to the Wolf Man.

"Not once did I _ever _think that we would go our separate ways..." Ookami murmured as he positioned his elbow against the table and rested his forehead in his hand. "But if we _had_ to, Hana ... I would've _much rather_ have had you leave me. If you had done that ... t-then at least ... you would still be _alive..._"

The Wolf Man almost choked on that final word, gritting his teeth as he felt his shoulders beginning to shake. At the same time, the agony that was in his heart increased even more, as if it was being squeezed in the palm of a ruthless person's hand. Actually, the pain was so strong to the point where it was beginning to spread upwards into Ookami's throat, making it perfectly resemble the feeling that somebody would have when they were diagnosed with strep. It was difficult for the dark-haired man to even allow himself to swallow. Not once in his _entire_ life—not even when he lost his parents or when he left his other relatives behind in order to move to the city on his own—did Ookami _ever _experience such an intense amount of despair before. Needless to say, it was absolute torture.

A moment of pure silence went by—a moment that the Wolf Man knew for sure that he and his mate would've been basking in if they actually had the chance to do so. Together, they would've been huddled underneath the warm blanket on the bed that they shared, holding each other close. Hana would've been resting her head on his chest, listening to her beloved's heartbeat, and Ookami would've been running his fingers calmly through her hair. He would've also made sure to trace his nails delicately along Hana's temple, courtesy of how he knew how much she loved that feeling. Smiles would've been decorating both of their faces as they rested, letting the evening claim them until Yuki or Ame woke them up. However, this moment was entirely different.

Ookami continued to hold his head in his hand, keeping his eyes closed and not moving a muscle. A dark shadow was cast over his face, due to how his hair was hanging beside his cheeks in a mostly disheveled manner. He was trying to digest the fact that it had only been a couple of hours since he had been informed by the paramedics that Hana had died, despite how it literally felt like she had actually been gone for centuries.

After about a minute, the Wolf Man sucked in a stuffy breath through his nose and withdrew his hand from his forehead. Then, upon straightening himself up and almost cringing from the discomfort that had built up in his lower back—this being the result of how he had been hunched over in his sleep—Ookami made a move to wipe his nose with the hem of his sleeve. He did just that, about to glance off in another direction of the room ... but before he could, something caught Ookami's attention from the corner of his eye.

"Hm...?"

As if he was going to be looking at someone that was sitting at the opposite side of the table, the Wolf Man turned his head. Almost immediately after he did that, his frown deepened at what his attention had locked on and he could've sworn that he felt his heart—or at least what was left of it—begin to sink down into the deepest part of his gut. There, lying at the other end of the small table ... was Hana's cream-colored purse.

It turns out, the garbage workers that had been working on gathering up all of the ruined groceries from the canal had located Hana's purse floating in the water as well. The ambulance had already taken off and Ookami had still been on his knees, sobbing in the middle of the street with the bespectacled man in the brown suit holding his own umbrella over him, Ame, and Yuki. So, after disposing of what was left of the groceries, one of the garbage workers walked over to the Wolf Man, gave him their deepest condolences, and said that they found something that they believed that he would've wanted to have. That's when the garbage worker handed the purse over to Ookami. Surprisingly, it wasn't covered in any blood and, despite being wet, it didn't look like it had any major damages done to it.

The Wolf Man ended up staying where he was in the street for about another five or so minutes after that, just hugging the purse close to his chest and continuing to cry. Then, he found himself weakly climbing back up onto his feet and trudging all the way back to the apartment in the rain. When he made it back, the first thing that he did was turn the heater on and place Ame and Yuki comfortably on the warm mass of pillows and blankets that covered the floor on one side of the bedroom. Thankfully, neither of them had woken up ... but Ookami _still_ didn't have the slightest clue as to how he was going to explain to them—whether it was now or at some point in the future—that their mother was _dead _and _never _coming back.

After tending to his offspring, Ookami removed his drenched sandals, hung up his worn out coat, dried off his mate's purse as much as he possibly could, plopped himself down on the floor, and found himself breaking out into another fit of sobs at the table. It didn't take long before he then ended up falling asleep, considering how he had already been running low on energy—even _before _he had gone out on his dreary journey to find Hana—and crying so much only resulted in him losing the inadequate amount that he actually had left.

The Wolf Man pushed some of his hair out of his face, his frown and the puppy-like look in his eyes never vanishing. Then, with faint reluctance, he reached his hand out, curled his fingers around the purse, and slowly pulled it over to his side of the table.

"It's so cold..." Ookami grumbled, rubbing his thumb across the material of the purse. "I'm used to it being so warm ... like your heart, Hana..."

There was another brief moment of hesitation, followed by the dark-haired man sucking in another congested sniffle. Then, he slipped his fingers underneath the latch that was located on the front of the bag and carefully undid it, treating it like it was made out of glass.

Upon opening the purse, Ookami crinkled his nose from detecting the scent of murky water. It practically slapped him in the face, due to how he—as a half-wolf individual—had an enhanced sense of smell. The scent also caused a small, sharp sting to shoot through Ookami's heart, this being triggered by the realization that the bag no longer carried the sweet smell of his beloved's perfume. Cherry blossoms mixed with fresh oranges ... _that's _what Hana's perfume was and _that's _what the purse used to smell like.

With a sigh of disappointment, Ookami poked his fingers inside of the purse. He rummaged around; but aside from Hana's key to the apartment, the only other item that was within the bag was a small, fuchsia-colored coin purse. So, the Wolf Man pulled it out, sat the larger purse back down onto the table, and then proceeded to open the coin purse. As soon as he did, he saw various amounts of yen—enough yen that would surely last a couple of months, courtesy of how excellent Hana was when it came to saving up her paychecks.

Ookami walked his fingers along the yen, counting it. While doing so, he couldn't help but feel like he was doing something wrong. After all, despite how they both had jobs and they both used their money for similar purposes, this was still Hana's money that he was going through.

"Forgive me for this, Hana..." Ookami muttered apologetically, shortly before he ended up pushing aside the final piece of yen and exposing something else—something that was made out of plastic—that was had also been stored away in the coin purse. "Huh...?"

Confusion flickered through the Wolf Man's dark blue orbs. He pinched the piece of plastic between his fingers and pulled it out, turning it over to look at it.

It was Hana's student ID from Hitotsubashi University—the same ID that she had used to sneak Ookami into the library on numerous occasions. It provided the name of the institution, the name of the person that it belonged to, Hana's date of birth, the date in which the ID was sure to expire, and—of course—a picture of Hana. She was wearing a lavender blouse, along with one of her beaming smiles; and even though it was just an image, her eyes were still shimmering with nothing but pure optimism.

Ookami lightly traced the tip of his thumb along the side of Hana's face in the laminated picture, trying to think back to the last time in which he had stroked her soft skin. However, with everything that had happened just a couple of hours previously with the hit-and-run, it was practically impossible for the dark-haired man to think about anything else. Besides, even if he _did,_ it only made the pain that he was going through grow even _stronger._

There was no doubt in the Wolf Man's mind that with every passing second that he stared at that picture of his mate, the more lost and empty he began to feel. Yet, at the same time ... Ookami couldn't help but notice just how _similiar _Hana's grin was in comparison to the one that she had been wearing in the dream.

Ookami's red-rimmed eyes grew a little as he realized this. He continued to drag his thumbnail delicately along the image of his true love, thinking back to as many of the details as possible that had been incorporated into the dream. As he did this, his gaze never broke away from the pretty smile that Hana was wearing.

"Hana..." Ookami whispered, almost at a loss for words.

The more that the Wolf Man thought about it—the perfect meadow, the reassurance in Hana's eyes, the comfort that was provided by her presence, and so on—the more that he was beginning to understand what he believed his dream truly meant. Hana had no choice but to leave him and their two children behind, yet the smile that was on her face was filled with confidence—like she was telling Ookami that she was more than positive that he would be able to succeed in raising Yuki and Ame on his own. Not only that, but even when she turned away and proceeded to walk off ... she _never _disappeared. To Ookami, that meant that Hana was promising him that she was going to be watching over him and their children from heaven—the place where, he was convinced, they'd been standing in the dream.

The Wolf Man let out a breath that he hadn't even realized that he'd been holding. Then, after staring at the ID for about another five seconds, he redirected his attention over to the opposite side of the room. There, he locked his gaze on Ame and Yuki, who were both still fast asleep. They were breathing peacefully, their little wolf-like dolls lying close to their sides with their lashes resting against their cheeks and the warm glow of the heater illuminating against their small bodies. In that moment, despite how there was still pain and sadness from the lack of Hana's physical presence ... Ookami felt the inside of his chest beginning to get filled up again. This time, it was by the love that he had for his children, as well as the comfort that came with the message that he believed that his mate had delivered to him in the dream.

Ookami glanced down at the student ID again, just now realizing just how small it was while being held in his much larger hand. He crawled over to window shortly after that, making sure to keep his movements as quiet as a mouse in order to avoid the risk of accidentally waking Yuki or Ame up. Finally, after making it to where he needed to go, the Wolf Man positioned himself on his knees, reached his arm out, and gently placed Hana's student ID against the glass jar that contained the small, white flowers that she had picked just a couple of days previously. All the while, he kept his stare on the beautiful picture of his mate.

* * *

_ "'This is just a goodbye. Until the time comes for us to reunite, let **them **be your reason to smile. Take good care of our children' ... He thought he heard her say that as she walked away." ~ Yuki_

* * *

The Wolf Man leaned back, folding his hands on his knees as he continued to look at Hana's student ID. At first, he didn't say anything ... but after a couple of seconds, he whispered in the most sincere voice that anybody could ever speak in.

"You can leave them to me, Hana. I _will _raise them as properly as possible, to the very best of my abilities ... and they _will _be my reason to smile—just like they, along with you, have _always _been..." Ookami sniffled softly, lowering his gaze to the floor with determination beginning to form in his dark blue eyes. "I promise ... _that's _what I'll do..."

Shortly after that final sentence left his mouth, the Wolf Man noticed his vision beginning to flicker back and forth from blurry to clear. His lips quivered and his eyes burned as hot tears began to fill them again ... but this time, instead of breaking down, Ookami lifted his head again and did what he knew that Hana would want him to do. Even with the tears starting to trickle along his lashes and leak down his cheeks ... he put on the best smile that he could muster.

In that moment, it became official.

No matter what it took, Ookami was going to put in one hundred and ten percent. He was going to be the best single father that he possibly could ... and he _was _going to do everything that he needed to do in order to raise his part-human, part-wolf children.


	3. The Provider

**A/N: Greetings, my wonderful viewers! :D :D**

**After working on this chapter for weeks nonstop, I have _finally _managed to finish it! :)**

**In this chapter: Ookami is adapting to being a single father to his two wolf children, raising them to the best of his abilities and providing them with as much as possible in the apartment. However, being in his shoes isn't so simple.**

**Note: This chapter also cuts off before the scene in the movie where Yuki gets sick, considering how I see that fitting in more with the next chapter: "The Protector." I just wanted to let you all know that in case any of you wonder why I end the chapter before that scene takes place.**

**Nevertheless, before diving in, I would like to take the time to thank those who have added this story to their favorites and follows. I would also like to give another special thanks to the ones who have given me feedback in the reviews. It really _does_ mean a whole lot to me, so thank you all so much. *Heart emojis* :) :)**

**Everyone, please keep in mind that reviews make my day! I always look forward to your feedback and I appreciate it greatly! So, don't hold back on sharing your thoughts in the reviews or you can PM them to me at anytime! Thanks again, everyone! Please review! :D :D**

**Anyway, I believe that I stated everything that I wanted to say. It's time for the third chapter of "Roles Switched," so I hope that you're all ready!**

**Happy reading, everybody! Enjoy! *Heart emoji***

* * *

**Wolf Children: Roles Switched Series (3) ~ The Provider**

* * *

_"I don't remember all the details, but I know he had his hands full with us." ~ Yuki_

* * *

_**Day #95**_

"Daddy, I want my food!"

Ookami let out a heavy sigh, knowing for a fact that if he had a dollar for every time that his daughter had come into the kitchen to request her lunch, he would've been the wealthiest man in the entire universe.

Currently, the Wolf Man was stationed at the counter with various potatoes, peas, and other ingredients gathered together, waiting to be prepared. He was in the middle of making a bottle for Ame, who—at that very moment—just so happened to be resting in his dark blue harness against Ookami's back and peering over his dad's shoulder with curiosity brewing in his eyes.

Ookami glanced over his opposite shoulder and locked his attention on Yuki. She was standing in the kitchen's entrance, wearing her small, cute, faded pink dress and holding her hands in stubborn fists at her sides as she returned her father's gaze.

"I know you do, Yuki. Just do Daddy a favor and wait a little longer, okay?"

"I already waited!" Yuki retorted, making the Wolf Man's shoulders sink a little. "I want my food!"

Ookami tried to speak again. "Yuki—"

His first-born child cut him off, squeezing her eyes shut and throwing her little fists up in the air as she exclaimed, "I want my food now!"

In the blink of an eye, just as those words had left Yuki's mouth, a couple of the physical traits that she acquired as a half-wolf child—i.e. one of her furry, pointed ears and her small, wet, pale brown nose—had appeared on the rest of her human-like body.

Ookami pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling his cheeks beginning to grow a little hot from frustration. He had grown used to his daughter bursting out into her wolf form, whether it was semi or full. However, that didn't mean that he approved of Yuki always seeming to use her wolf half as ammunition during her tantrums—a way to try getting her father to do whatever it was that she wanted.

"Yuki, I'm afraid that I can only do so much at a time! Daddy only has two hands!" Ookami pointed out, raising his voice just a little bit in order to prevent his daughter from possibly transforming into her wolf form completely. "Now, tuck your ear in and put your nose back this instant! When I'm done preparing your brother's bottle, I'll feed him and then start on your lunch, alright?"

"Ame always gets to eat first!" Yuki barked, obviously too young to understand that her father was trying his absolute best to handle both her and her brother. "I want to eat first this time!"

Ame batted his lashes, glancing back and forth from his sister to their father with absolute confusion decorating his adorable features. Clearly, he didn't understand what was going on.

The dark-haired man huffed. "Yuki—"

"I want to eat first this time! I want to, I want to, I want to!"

Yuki practically threw herself down to the floor, thrashing her legs and arms around. She flopped around like a fish out of water, engaging in one of her hissy fits. Not only that, but just as Ookami had been predicting would happen—despite not actually wanting it to—Yuki had broke out into her wolf form entirely. Her hands and feet transformed into paws, her other pointed ear made an appearance, her skin became a light layer of beige-colored fur, and she even had little fangs appear in her mouth.

"I want to eat first this time! I'm hungry, Daddy! I want to eat now!" Yuki wailed, curling her toes and slapping her paws against the floor in an unbelievably cranky manner. "It's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair!"

Ookami blinked slowly, watching his daughter's turmoil with an expression that was bleak, firm, and exhausted all in one. He could feel his patience gradually beginning to run thin ... but whenever he looked at Yuki and Ame, all he could see was how much the two of them resembled Hana. That was all it took for his mate's up-beat face to fill his mind, along with the dream that he still remembered every last detail of.

Hana wouldn't have gotten angry. Even when she was alive, she always seemed to know how to remain calm whenever Yuki got cranky. That was all that Ookami needed in order to prevent himself from letting his own temper get the better of him.

He rested his eyes shut and drew in a deep, slow breath through his nose. Then, with the commotion from his first-born child still filling the whole apartment, the dark-haired man gave himself a moment to round up whatever parts of his cool that he had lost beforehand. It only took a couple of seconds; and when it was over, Ookami calmly released the breath through his mouth and opened his eyes back up.

He spoke his daughter's name in a much firmer voice, "_Yuki...!_"

In less than a second, auburn-haired wolf child ceased her screaming and thrashing. She pushed herself up onto her knees and stared up at her dad, her cheeks puffed out and one of her pointed ears twitching. It was evident that she could see the seriousness that was detailed across his features and just by taking one look at her, anybody would've been able to tell that Yuki wasn't pleased.

"What did I just say about your wolf parts?" Ookami inquired, sounding just as authoritative as he looked. "You know better than to behave this way. Change back into your human form right this minute."

"But, Daddy—!"

"_Now,_ Yuki. What would Mommy say to you if she were here right now?"

As soon as that question left the Wolf Man's mouth, Yuki closed her mouth. The stubbornness that was exposed on her face faltered just a little bit, shortly before she let out a huff. Then, as if she were a puppy that had just finished hopping out of the bath, the auburn-haired wolf child shook her body. Within seconds, her paws, fur, fangs, and pointed ears disappeared and her human features reappeared like they had never vanished to begin with.

Ookami let out a breath of relief, right before he began to speak in a much more gentle tone.

"That's more like it. Now, listen ... I understand how much you want your lunch, but you are more than aware that it's very essential for me to make sure that Ame gets his milk every two hours."

Yuki tilted her head a little to the side, asking innocently, "What's 'essent-tee-al'?"

The dark-haired man released a single, small chuckle before explaining.

"Essential is meant to describe something that is very important and necessary, such as me needing to give your brother his formula. He needs his nourishment just as much as you do, sweetheart ... and I promise you, as soon as I finish feeding Ame, I'll make sure to prepare you the best lunch possible. In the meantime, how about you go play with some of the toys in the other room? Your meal will be ready before you know it."

Yuki opened her mouth to say something back, but stopped herself. Then, after closing her mouth once more and allowing a brief moment of hesitation to go by, the two-year-old yielded with faint disappointment highlighting the edge of her voice.

"Okay, Daddy..."

Ookami offered her a gentle grin and responded with, "That's my girl. Run along now."

With that, the auburn-haired girl turned around and scampered back into the other room to attempt distracting herself by playing with the variety of stuffed animals and chew toys that were spewed across the floor. The Wolf Man watched her leave ... and as soon as she was out of his sight, his smile was chased away by an exhausted exhale. After all, he knew that it wouldn't be long before his daughter got bored and came back to request her lunch for the billionth time.

Ookami redirected his attention down to the counter, scooping up another spoonful of baby formula before carefully pouring it into the awaiting bottle. Meanwhile, he could feel Ame playing around with the back of the stretched-out collar of his shirt, gently tugging it around in a bunch of random patterns while softly cooing.

Upon pouring the final spoonful of formula, the dark-haired man added water to the bottle and screwed on the nipple. Then, he started shaking it around. He was trying to mix the water and formula as thoroughly as possible, while also trying to prevent himself from going too hard and accidentally shaking Ame around.

As this happened, Ookami puffed a few stray strands of his shaggy hair out of his face and peeked at a shelf that was built into the wall over the counter. There, sitting neatly beside a couple of cook books, was Hana's cream-colored purse. At the sight of it, the Wolf Man almost shivered at the memory of when the garbage workers had given it to him after his mate's bloodied body was taken away once and for all in the ambulance. Yet, no matter how much that god-awful memory made his lips tremble, Ookami forced himself to muster up a smile. He just knew that if Hana had been in the one in his shoes at that very moment, she would've been doing the exact same thing.

"Oh, Hana ... our daughter is growing into the living definition of the word 'spitfire.'" Ookami whispered, finding some comfort in the thought of his beloved smiling brightly down at him as he spoke. "She's very feisty and determined to get what she wants. She also doesn't like the word 'no.' Huh ... it looks like she's gaining a personality that's a lot like mine, wouldn't you agree?"

The dark-haired man let out a small, breathy snicker as he asked that question. He knew that it was true that his and Hana's daughter was becoming more and more like him with every passing day—strong-willed, curious, and adventurous.

However, within seconds after that, Ookami found himself pressing his lips together and having them form a straight line in order to prevent them from falling into a frown. He couldn't help but let out a breath of disappointment, courtesy of how he knew that his beloved had been the one that was much better at putting on a smile—even during the hardest and most tiring times.

It had been a little over three months since Hana's life had been stolen from her in the form of a hit-and-run ... and as much as Ookami hated to admit it, the months that he had so far spent without his mate had been the _hardest_ months in his _entire_ life. He had no choice but to quit his job as a mover, as well as cease his frequent visits to Hitotsubashi University. Now, he was depending entirely on the yen that Hana had left behind—as well as the money that he had managed to save up before quitting—in order to take care of Yuki and Ame.

Shortly after Hana perished, Ookami was exposed to a whole new lifestyle that he had no choice but to adapt to. He had to take care of all of the daily tasks around the apartment, including the ones that he had very little experience with. After all, Hana had been the one to have handled a majority of the chores—simply because she had been the type of person who enjoyed keeping herself busy and she had also been used to it since she'd been on her own ever since she first started attending college. With that being said, Ookami had much to learn when it came to managing the wellness of the laundry, dishes, meals, and overall apartment.

On this day, the clock hadn't even struck noon and the Wolf Man had already handled the dusting, the sweeping, the dishes from breakfast, and cleaning out the fridge in order to prepare for his next trip to the grocery store. Not only that, but all throughout the night, he had been woken up at least five-to-ten times—Ookami had actually lost count—by the sound of Ame crying. Needless to say, he had changed a numerous amount of diapers and was left to soothe his weeping son as much as he possibly could. Then, to top it all off, before it had even reached seven A.M., Ookami had been shaken awake by Yuki. She told him that she was hungry, which resulted in the Wolf Man getting up to prepare breakfast. That had been the start of his day ... and ever since Hana's death, a majority of his mornings just so happened to begin in a very similar way.

Ookami loved his children, there was no doubt about that. However, fatherhood wasn't exactly a piece of cake ... especially when it involved being the single father to two half-human, half-wolf children.

Now, with faint rings surrounding his eyes and his hair just the slightest bit tamed, Ookami was wearing Hana's pastel pink apron over his usual white, long-sleeved, stretched-out shirt and dark blue sweatpants. In order to stay awake, he was focusing on how much he was shaking his son's bottle.

"Okay, Ame. Your milk will be ready in just a couple of more minutes." Ookami promised, knowing that his three-month-old child was still observing each of his movements from over his shoulder. "We just need to warm it up now."

As that final sentence left his mouth, the Wolf Man stopped shaking the baby bottle and lowered it into a plastic container that he had filled beforehand with lukewarm water. Upon placing it there, he stared at it and waited as patiently as possible for the milk to grow tepid. Yet, while doing this ... Ookami's eyes practically glimmered as he began to recall a memory that had taken place two years earlier.

* * *

_**Two Years Earlier...**_

* * *

_"Mom gave birth to me in that tiny apartment they called home. No hospital, not even a midwife. She didn't want to risk what would happen if I'd arrived looking like a newborn pup. So, according to Dad, they did it alone ... just the two of them ... bringing me into the world as the snow fell outside." ~ Yuki_

* * *

_There were no words that could've possibly described the overwhelming amount of love and joy that Ookami was feeling in that very moment. He was lying on one side of the bed, looking surprisingly calm for somebody who had just gotten done assisting another person through labor. Although, to be fair, he had relied almost entirely on his wolf instincts in order to get him through every last one of the long hours that consisted of contractions, breathing exercises, ice chips, and pushing._

_Now, the Wolf Man was staring at his mate with a proud grin on his face. Hana was lying on the opposite side of the bed, her hair a mess and skin completely glistening with sweat. Her face was flushed, covered by a vibrant smile, and her eyes were twinkling like the most valuable jewels in the whole wide universe._

_The silvery moonlight was pouring in through the window, mixing together with the reddish/orange glow of the heater. Both sources of light bathed the two of them ... and lying between Ookami and Hana was none other than their newborn child. It was a baby girl ... and almost immediately after they had laid their eyes on her, the two of them knew that she was destined to have the name Yuki. With the gentle shower of snow that was occurring right outside on that very night, it was as if it was written in the stars._

_Yuki was born healthy and safely, weighing no more than seven pounds. In addition to that, she had auburn hair and rosy cheeks that went along perfectly with the rest of her features. In fact, she looked **a lot** like Hana when she had been first born._

_Now, Yuki was resting beneath a fuzzy towel between the Wolf Man and his mate, holding her father's index finger and her mother's thumb in her tiny hands. Needless to say, it was a beautiful and unforgettable experience for the couple._

_Yuki stretched, making small noises that made Ookami swear that his heart was seconds away from melting. This little baby **already** had him wrapped around her teeny finger._

_"I'm so thankful that she's healthy." Hana said after a moment of watching their daughter innocently wiggle, her happy-go-lucky smile never faltering._

_Ookami peeked up at her. "Yeah. Healthy and beautiful, just like her mother."_

_Hana exhaled happily. "I hope that she has a gentle heart."_

_"And a good mind to go with it."_

_The Wolf Man gently squeezed his beloved's hand, watching as she lifted her gaze in order for them to make eye contact. Her cheerful grin was still right where it was, but there was also curiosity beginning to brew in her hazel irises._

_"What will she grow up to be?" Hana inquired, obviously caught up in thinking about how their child possessed both human and wolf DNA._

_Ookami's smile became even more gentle, his dark blue eyes shimmering with genuine honesty as he gave his response._

_"Whatever she wants. She can be ...** anything.** For her, the sky's the limit."_

_Hana rested her eyes shut, her lashes delicately stroking her cheeks and making her look even more like an angel._

_"I just hope she's happy. **That's** my wish for her."_

_Ookami gave a soft nod of agreement, right before he lowered his attention back down to Yuki and said, "Then it's up to **us** to make it come true."_

_"Yeah."_

_The Wolf Man watched as his daughter tightened her little fingers around his much larger index finger. Beforehand, when he had been stationed at Hana's lower body and waiting for the baby to appear, he hadn't known what to expect—whether Yuki would arrive looking like an actual newborn or a wolf pup. Nevertheless, even if his mate had asked her question on what their child would grow up to be before Yuki had been delivered, Ookami was positive that his answer would've been the same._

_In his case, Ookami had gravitated more towards his human half and he had moved to Tokyo to live his life as normally as possible. However, he had also lost his parents at a young age and he hadn't been given the opportunity to be raised by people that would've accepted him if they knew his secret. With that being said, the Wolf Man's final decision had been influenced **a lot** by his family. He wanted to make sure that Yuki's path to choose didn't turn out to be as narrow as his ... but with Hana, he knew that the risks of being judged or abandoned would have practically been nonexistent. With them, Yuki was going to be able to grow to make her own choice ... and no matter what lifestyle she settled on, Ookami knew that he and Hana would always be there to love and support her._

_Suddenly, after a couple of more seconds, the newborn's bottom lip puckered out and started to tremble. Then, as if they had formed out of thin air, tears appeared at the corners of Yuki's eyes and gradually started to trickle down her cheeks. Small wails accompanied them, pouring out of the baby's mouth and lightly puncturing the air._

_The dark-haired man tensed up a little, immediately growing alert. At the same time, his mate didn't hesitate to pop her eyes back open. Yet, Ookami couldn't help but notice how she remained perfectly calm. There wasn't the slightest shred of concern or panic on any of her features. Instead, a new smile that was filled with love and gentleness had twisted its way across Hana's lips._

_She let out a breath and said sweetly, "It looks like someone's hungry."_

_"Yeah..." Ookami agreed, able to grin again as his prior worry was chased away. "Do you feel okay with nursing at this time? Or would you rather have me go out to buy some formula? I don't care if it's snowing, I'm willing to do anything for you and our daughter."_

_"That's alright, honey. I'm perfectly okay with breastfeeding."_

_With that, Hana pushed aside the left side of her pajama shirt—which was already unbuttoned since she had been hot all throughout her contractions—and tastefully exposed her left breast. Then, she slid one of her hands delicately underneath Yuki's head and used her opposite hand to support the baby's back. Finally, she lifted Yuki up, making sure that the fuzzy towel remained draped over her fragile body, and rested her little head directly against her breast. Shortly after that, the newborn had ceased her cries and wrapped her little lips around her mother's nipple, beginning to suckle with absolutely no complications._

_"Ah, I'm so glad to see that she's nursing properly." Ookami said, feeling his heart swelling with utter affection. "I remember reading in one of the pregnancy books that it can sometimes hurt when you breastfeed for the first time. You're not in any discomfort, are you, Hana?"_

_"None at all. It actually feels wonderful ... and even if it **did** hurt, I was willing to use the breast pump." Hana said as she gently caressed the back of Yuki's head with her fingertips. "I'm planning to breastfeed for at least the first four or five months of Yuki's life. After that, I think that we should try getting her at least somewhat adjusted to formula and bottles."_

_The Wolf Man lifted his gaze, slight surprise exposed in both his eyes and voice._

_"Just four or five months? Are you sure that you wouldn't want to try nursing for at least the first year?"_

_"I'm sure. I want to make sure that she adapts to other ways to get her food ... especially since breast milk is only available through me and we never know what could happen to me."_

_As soon as he heard those words leave Hana's mouth, Ookami didn't know what he found to be more shocking—the fact that she had actually said something like that in the first place, or the fact that she was **still** wearing one of her precious smiles while saying it._

_"Hana ... **why** would you say something like that?" Ookami asked, sounding even more surprised than before._

_His mate made eye contact with him. "Life is unpredictable, Ookami. We never know what it'll throw at us. After all, my father's death was unexpected by almost all of the other members in my family."_

_"Yes, but..." Ookami reached his hand out, placing it gently against his beloved's cheek. "You're **not** going to die."_

_The sweetness in Hana's expression never wavered. She rested her head against Ookami's hand, enjoying the feeling of him caressing her skin and wiping away some beads of sweat with his fingers._

_"Death is part of life, sweetheart. It's unavoidable."_

_Ookami dragged his bottom lip between his teeth. "I-I know, but—"_

_"You don't have to worry, Ookami. I'm planning to be here with you for a long, **long** time ... but that doesn't change how life really **can** be difficult—especially when we least expect it to be." Hana pointed out, continuing to wear that heartwarming smile of hers—a smile that showed no worry or fear. "It's like one gigantic journey that's filled with a countless amount of destinations. With that being said ... I want you to promise me something. No matter what happens in this world, even if something were to happen to me ... you'll continue on with your life and raise Yuki to the best of your abilities."_

_Needless to say, this wasn't how the Wolf Man was expecting the conversation about their daughter's nourishment to go. He found himself staring at his mate with a sore expression, as if he was a child that had just received a B instead of an A on a spelling test._

_"Hana, I ... I don't like thinking about anything bad happening to you."_

_"I know that you don't ... but like I just said, I'm planning to remain right here by your side for as long as possible. I just need to make sure that if anything **were** to happen to me ... you understand that I would want you to keep moving forward and take good care of our daughter." Hana declared, sounding just as gentle as she looked. "Can you do that for me, Ookami? ... Can you promise me that no matter what happens to me—**if** anything happens to me—you'll keep moving ahead and watch over Yuki?"_

_The dark-haired man hesitated, needing a moment to process everything that he had just heard. He had to press his lips together in order to prevent himself from frowning, courtesy of how unpleasant the mental picture of him losing his true love actually was. Nonetheless, Hana remained patient with him ... and after about five-to-ten seconds, Ookami was able to muster up the strength to offer her a small, reassuring grin._

_"Yes, of course..." He softly nodded his head at his mate, right before he lowered his gaze back down to their first-born child. "I promise, Hana ... I promise."_

* * *

The Wolf Man exhaled, his shoulders drooping as he recalled every last detail that was included in that conversation that he and his mate had shared. At the time, he hadn't put much thought into it. After all, he and Hana were caught up in raising Yuki ... and the happiness in their little family only seemed to grow stronger with every passing day. Eventually, as the seasons wore on and Hana discovered that she was pregnant with Ame, Ookami ended up pushing that conversation to the very back of his mind. Everything had been going great for him and his family ... until the day came in which Hana had went into labor for the second time. Within just a couple of hours after Ame had been brought into the world, Hana went out to stock up on groceries ... and she never got to come back home.

There were no words that could possibly describe how much that heartbreaking memory made Ookami's heart sting. In fact, whenever he thought about Hana's lifeless body lying in the canal and then being placed on the gurney to be taken away, there was a piece of him that could've sworn that if he truly allowed himself to do it, he would cry to the point where he would flood the entire apartment complex. Nevertheless, the Wolf Man refused to allow himself to dwell in the pain of his beloved's absence ... because he had promised her that he would keep moving forward in his life if something like that were to ever happen. Plus, he didn't have just one child anymore. Now, he had _two ..._ and he wasn't planning on abandoning them anytime soon.

Suddenly, Ookami found himself being snapped out of his thoughts and pulled entirely back into the present when he felt something tugging at his right shoulder.

"Huh...?"

The dark-haired man glanced over the same shoulder, only to realize that it was none other than his son. Ame had been pulling at his shoulder and was now staring directly at his father with his innocent eyes, as if to remind him that he needed his milk.

"Oh, Ame ... there, there." Ookami soothed, his confusion automatically being replaced by a new, faint smile. "Daddy's getting your milk."

With that, the Wolf Man withdrew the baby bottle from the plastic container that was filled with lukewarm water and proceeded to dry it off with a nearby rag. As he did this, he couldn't help but notice how Ame was stretching his little arm out as much as he could over his father's shoulder, obviously indicating that he wanted the bottle.

"Hold on, son. Hold on for just another moment. I'm almost done." Ookami whispered, just as he tugged up one of his sleeves and tested the temperature of the milk by applying a couple of drops to his wrist. "Ah, there we go. All finished."

The dark-haired man licked away the few droplets of milk that he had drizzled onto his skin. Then, with a sprinkle of relief now incorporated into his smile, he prepared to get Ame out of his harness so he would be able to feed him.

"Let's do this, son." Ookami said softly.

* * *

When he first lost Hana, one of the prime things that Ookami knew that he had to get the hang of was multitasking. Fortunately, he seemed to be having better luck with that on this day.

The Wolf Man had Ame positioned so he would be lying back against his left arm, the three-month-old's little body tucked safely between his chest and forearm. Ame was able to hold the bottle on his own, leaving him to gently suckle and savor his nourishment as Ookami worked on snapping the peas out of their pods and preparing the other ingredients for Yuki's lunch.

He dropped at least a dozen or so peas into a pastel yellow bowl—his daughter's favorite bowl—and then got started on skinning a few potatoes. When that was done, Ookami diced three of the five potatoes up and poured their pieces into the bowl as well. He decided to leave the remaining two potatoes for his own lunch—probably bake them or something among those lines.

Then, by the time that the Wolf Man had finished dropping in some spoonfuls of carrots that he had already mashed up the evening before, he noticed Ame suddenly pull his head away from his bottle and cough. He was a very frail child, making Ookami stop what he was doing in order to tend to him once more.

Ookami started by wiping a few stray drops of warm milk away from his son's lips with his thumb. After that, he gently positioned Ame's body upward against his shoulder and proceeded to carefully pat him on the back. Thankfully, it took less than a minute for the three-month-old to release a burp; and just like he almost always did after being fed, Ame ended up letting out a yawn and drifting off to sleep. So, Ookami returned him to his harness—wanting to keep his son near in case he ended up waking up at some point in tears—and kept working on the preparations for his daughter's meal with Ame resting peacefully against his back.

The Wolf Man grabbed the pestle that he had lying nearby and began using it to crush and stir the ingredients together in the pastel yellow bowl. He kept twisting his hand at the wrist, wanting to make sure that he got rid of every little lump as he mashed together the peas, potatoes, and carrots.

However, within no more than two minutes after Ookami had started fixing Yuki's lunch, his daughter had appeared once again in the kitchen's entrance ... and just like before, she looked utterly grumpy. Clearly, she had lost her patience and not to mention any possible interest that she had in her and Ame's toys for the second time.

"Daddy! I'm hungry!" Yuki whined as she balled her hands up into stubborn fists at her sides, just like she had done before. "Food now!"

Ookami sighed, wincing a little from the strain that was beginning to build up in his wrist from the complicated twists and turns that he was in the middle of preforming with the pestle. Yet, he kept his gaze locked on the bowl as he continued to make sure that he was getting the texture of the mush as smooth as possible.

"Give me a couple of more minutes, pumpkin. I just need to add a couple of more ingredients."

Yuki's voice became slightly more demanding as she repeated herself, "Food now!"

"You need to learn to be more patient, Yuki. Daddy is working as fast as he c—"

"FOOD NOW!"

In less than a second, the Wolf Man shot his attention over his shoulder and pierced his first-born child with a stare that was filled with disapproval. He noticed almost immediately that Yuki had transformed entirely into her wolf form again, exposing her paws, pointed ears, wet nose, fangs, and beige-colored fur with her front paws—her arms—being held above her head in frustration.

"_Yuki...!_" Ookami said, stretching his daughter's name out in a manner that showed that he wasn't going to allow her to get away with speaking to him like that.

Yuki let out a small growl, opening her eyes to reveal that tears of both anger and hurt that had appeared along their rims. Then, as an impatient glare returned to her face, the auburn-haired wolf child took off running on all four paws into the main room of the apartment. She kicked aside a pink pillow that had been lying in her path, right before she took a stubborn seat in the upper right corner of the room.

* * *

_"He said that I changed into a wolf whenever I got cranky ... which happened a lot, according to him." ~ Yuki_

* * *

Yuki then let out a huff and continued her sprint, kicking over the wicker trash bin in the process and causing the garbage that was within it to spill out across the floor. Despite how aggravating it was to see a new mess appear right before his eyes, Ookami was more caught up in thinking about the worrisome possibility of a neighbor passing by the window out of nowhere and spotting Yuki in her wolf form.

"Yuki! _Yuki!_" Ookami called out, not wanting to sound _too_ panicked. "Get back here!"

The dark-haired man sprang into action, practically tossing himself down to the floor. Before his hands could meet the ground, they had transformed into large paws and Ookami found himself in his own wolf form—larger, pointy ears with a longer snout and bluish/grey fur replacing his ivory complexion. He was still wearing his clothes—something that he hadn't done while in his wolf form since he had revealed his secret to Hana—and Ame was still resting against his father's furry back in his harness, fast asleep.

The Wolf Man took off running on all four paws into the main room of the apartment, his daughter's speed being no match to his. He used his mouth to grab her by the back of back of her dress, right where it met the bottom of her neck, and he picked her up from the floor like all wolves did in order to move their pups around.

Not long after that, Ookami rose back up onto his hind legs and transformed back into his human form. He was now carrying Yuki, who had also switched back to her human form, in his left arm and using his opposite hand to push some of his shaggy hair out of his face.

"What did I say about running by the window while in your wolf form, Yuki?" Ookami inquired, shortly before he let out a heavy sigh, walked back into the kitchen, and sat his daughter back down in the doorway. "Okay, you know what? ... I'm going to go ahead and let it slide just this once."

As he said that final sentence, the Wolf Man grabbed a box of multicolored biscuits that was sitting on the table, opened it up, selected one of the rectangular treats, and held it out for his first-born child to take.

"You can have _one_ biscuit while I finish preparing your meal." Ookami settled.

At the sight of the biscuit, Yuki's eyes lit up like lanterns and she hung her tongue out of her mouth like a happy-go-lucky pup. She took the treat from her father's hand, giggling cheerfully. Then, as she began to nibble away at it, Ookami redirected his attention back around to the pastel yellow bowl, picked the pestle back up, and kept working on mashing up the ingredients.

The Wolf Man continued to crush and stir around the contents until they looked like nothing more than smooth, pale green mush. After that, he lifted the pestle out from the bowl, ran his finger across it in order to scoop off some of the dough-like substance, and licked it off his finger in order to test it.

"Hmm ... this is actually pretty good." Ookami noted, batting his lashes in approval as he kept his gaze locked on the pastel yellow bowl. "I'll have to keep this recipe in mind to do again."

"Daddy!" Yuki's voice suddenly called out to him, this time coming from the main room of the apartment. "Food!"

Ookami rested his eyes shut for a moment, right before he called back, "It's coming, Yuki! Take your seat at the table!"

* * *

The dark-haired man returned the tubs of ingredients to the refrigerator, also taking that opportunity to retrieve the large bottle of apple juice from where it was stored in the back. Then, he gathered a spoon from one of the utensil drawers, located Yuki's sippy cup in one of the cabinets, and filled it almost entirely with juice. Finally, after returning the glass bottle to its usual spot in the fridge, Ookami was able to walk out of the kitchen with the pastel bowl and spoon in one hand, the sippy cup in the other, Ame still resting peacefully against his back, and an accomplished—though fairly tired—smile on his face.

Yuki was already stationed at the little wooden table that her father had put together with his own two hands shortly after she was born. It was where she—and now Ame—were expected to eat their meals, courtesy of how it was closer to the ground and it would help prevent any messes from occurring on the actual dining table.

"Alright, princess. Here you go." Ookami said, in which he got down on one knee beside the table, placed the bowl and sippy cup down in front of his daughter, and handed the spoon over to her. "Remember to take small and careful bites, okay?"

Yuki only nodded, clearly eager to eat her lunch. As soon as she was given the spoon, she didn't hesitate to scoop out some of the pale green mush and begin leading it towards her mouth. However, she ended up tilting the spoon too soon ... and the mush that she had scooped out of her bowl ended up splatting against the table. Although, this didn't faze Yuki one bit. Instead, she dropped the spoon almost instantly, grabbed the mush with just her bare hand, and shoved it messily into her mouth. Then, instead of grabbing the spoon again, the two-year-old started using _both_ of her hands to dig the squashy food out of her bowl. She crammed one sloppy handful after another into her mouth, even knocking over her sippy cup and causing the bowl to flip over on accident. Now, the squashy mixture of peas, potatoes, and carrots were spilled across the table and being cleaned up by Yuki's determined fingers.

* * *

_"I had a ravenous appetite. No matter how much I ate, I was **always** asking for more. My brother, Ame, was frail and hardly ate at all..." ~ Yuki_

* * *

Ookami huffed, his eyes wide as he witnessed Yuki manage to make yet another mess in literally less than ten seconds. Although, despite that, the Wolf Man was actually unable to tell whether he was more surprised or amused by how much of a glutton his daughter seemed to be at this age. Normally, that type of a behavior would've been a concern for parents; but Yuki's immune system was a lot more complex than any other child's. She had both human and wolf blood in her veins, which meant that there were specific things about her—both internal and external—that would fluctuate regularly. In all honesty, a ravenous appetite was one of the last things that the dark-haired man had to worry about.

"Okay ... we'll work on table manners at some point in the future..." Ookami murmured under his breath, meaning for that comment to be a note to himself. "Yuki, sweetheart?"

The two-year-old immediately turned her head to look at her father, chewing on her latest mouthful of green mush with clumps of it stuck to her fingers and lips. She swallowed what was in her mouth before saying anything back.

"Yes, Daddy?"

The dark-haired man softly grinned again. "Keep in mind, even though Mommy isn't here, she's still able to hear us from heaven. What do you have to say to her for this meal?"

Yuki blinked, pausing for a moment to process her dad's question. Seconds later, an angelic smile that almost perfectly resembled Hana's appeared on the auburn child's face and she lifted her head so she could be staring at the ceiling. Then, with her voice raised a little—as if she needed to speak up in order for her words to reach heaven—Yuki gave her response.

"Thank you, Mommy! Thank you for the money that you left for Daddy so he could pay for this food! We love you and miss you!"

After that, Yuki dropped her attention back down to her bowl and she continued to feed herself with just her bare hands.

"That's my girl." Ookami said, in which he used his fingertips to gently push some of his daughter's hair back and tuck it behind her ear. That way, it wouldn't face the risk of getting pale green mush in it.

When he finished with that, the Wolf Man placed a kiss against his first-born child's forehead and he crawled on his knees over to where the wicker trash bin was now lying on its side. All the while, Ookami's three-month-old son remained in his peaceful slumber on his back.

Ookami lifted the trash bin back up, placing it back in its usual spot. Then, as he began to clean up the garbage that had spilled out ... a small frown started to twitch across his lips. The dark-haired man actually couldn't tell whether his daughter's message to her mother made his heart swell more from awe or worry.

* * *

_"To this day, I **still** remember the morning in which I woke up and realized that Mom wasn't there. I was too young to pay much attention to it at the time, but looking back on it ... I can easily recall the pain and regret that had been in my father's eyes. Yet, he managed to muster up a smile ... and he told me that Mom was an angel that God had placed on earth, but needed back. From that day on, Dad handled **everything** on his own." ~ Yuki_

* * *

Just like he had promised on the day in which he mourned over the deceased body of his mate, Ookami made sure to teach his children as much as he possibly could about Hana. Of course, for the time being, Ame was too young to be able to process hardly any information about his mother; but Yuki was at that stage in her life where she was constantly asking questions and absorbing everything that she heard like a sponge. This just so happened to include how the Wolf Man had explained to her that Hana had left some money behind in her coin purse, going even further by telling Yuki that it was her way of letting the two of them know that she was still looking out for them and Ame.

When it came to Hana, Ookami wanted nothing more than for her to receive love, appreciation, and praise from their children. So, he always found ways to include her in their daily lives, such as with reminding Yuki to thank her for leaving them the yen that she had in order to pay for the ingredients that he used to create their meals.

However, despite the sweetness and respect that was incorporated into these moments, none of them took away from the fact that Hana's money wasn't going to last them forever. A little over three months had already gone by and with every trip to the grocery store—and not to mention all of the bills—the Wolf Man couldn't help but find himself growing more and more concerned with how quickly his mate's money appeared to be lessening. He might've had his savings, but he didn't want to risk dipping into those too quickly.

"Damn ... I _really_ wish that a person's life and overall survival in this world didn't need to revolve around dollar signs and price tags. It's one of the hardest things about being a human instead of a wolf." Ookami muttered under his breath, still wearing a worried frown as he continued to pick up all of the garbage and drop it back into the wicker trash bit.

Yet, after a moment, he found himself lifting his head and redirecting his attention over to the window. There, leaning against one of the four glass jars that were still placed neatly along the windowsill, was Hana's student ID—the same ID that he had found in her purse, just a couple of hours after she perished.

Almost immediately after his gaze landed on that laminated photo of Hana's beaming smile, a reassuring grin ended up curling up on the corners of Ookami's mouth. It took him a couple of seconds, but when he opened his mouth, he spoke honestly and just as softly as before.

"But don't worry, Hana. One way or the other, I'll find a way to take care of all of this. No matter what happens, I'll make sure that Yuki and Ame stay safe and will continue to be properly cared for."

The dark-haired man continued to stare at his beloved's student ID after those words left his mouth, wanting to give himself a moment to savor her pretty face once more. Afterwards, he cleaned up the remainder of the trash, stood back up from the floor, and turned around to look in his daughter's direction. She was in the middle of sipping her apple juice, her fingers still riddled with clumps of the green mush that he had made for her.

"Yuki, I'm going to step outside to check the mail. Stay right where you are and keep eating your lunch, alright?"

Yuki stopped drinking her juice long enough to respond with, "Alright, Daddy!"

After that, she proceeded to enjoy her beverage and Ookami headed in the direction of the apartment's front door. When he got there, he didn't bother sliding on his sandals since he knew that he would only be standing in the doorway for what would surely be less than a minute. Then, he proceeded to unlock the door and open it.

Almost immediately, as the Wolf Man placed his bare feet directly on the threshold, he was greeted by the sound of a couple of baby birds chirping from a nearby nest. It was actually a rather pretty day, consisting of partially clear skies, warm sunlight, and a gentle breeze that carried the scents of fresh flowers and what must've been a pie from one of the neighbors.

Humming a tune to himself, Ookami opened the metal flap of the mailbox with one hand and reached his other one in. He then pulled out everything that had been delivered to him and proceeded to flick through all of it. Unsurprisingly, it was all nothing more than just plain junk mail—flyers, cheap magazines, envelopes that contained alleged offers to win all sorts of prizes, and the list could go on for miles.

Yet, Ookami continued to flip through all of the useless papers and false pieces of advertisement, wanting to make sure that no serious papers got mixed in with them. He looked completely unimpressed ... but that was until he made it to the very last piece of mail. It was a dark yellow envelope that had the words "Important Notice" printed on it in large, bold letters.

"Huh? What the...?"

In less than a second, a look of utter concern crossed over the dark-haired man's face and he didn't hesitate to rip the envelope open right then and there. He pulled out the piece of paper that was waiting inside and unfolded it, coming to the realization that it was a letter from the Child Welfare Agency.

"The Child Welfare Agency?" Ookami muttered, proceeding to skim the letter as quickly and as efficiently as possible.

Basically, the "important notice" revolved around the fact that the Wolf Man had never taken either of his children to the doctor before. They had never received any check-ups, nor did they get any vaccinations. The whole letter expressed the concern that the members at the Child Welfare Agency had for Yuki and Ame's health. Not only that, but it also urged Ookami to make an appointment for the two of them as soon as possible, as if those at the Child Welfare Agency were claiming that he didn't know how to take care of _his_ children. There were no words that could possibly describe how much that annoyed the Wolf Man—others making it seem like he wasn't doing his job as a parent. Although, at the same time, he knew that he'd be lying if he said that the letter didn't make his lungs feel like they were being deflated.

After _everything_ that he had gone through, Ookami now had the Child Welfare Agency breathing down his neck ... and to make matters even more complex, he knew that he wouldn't be able to comply with what the letter stated. He had genuine reasons for keeping Ame and Yuki away from doctors and vaccinations ... and he wasn't planning on going against his own instincts—as both a wolf and father—in order to satisfy some strangers.

"Tsk..." Ookami narrowed his eyes at the letter and then rolled them. "Thank you, but I'm more than certain that I have everything under control with _my_ kids..."

The tone that he was using was similiar to the one that he had used on Hana for the first time—back when she had chased him down in the corridors of the university. With that being said, it was evident that he felt nothing but bitterness towards the Child Welfare Agency.

The Wolf Man stepped back into the apartment and closed the door, locking it once more. Then, shortly after he made it back into the main room, he heard his daughter speak to him from where she was still sitting and enjoying her lunch at the little wooden table.

"Daddy? What is that stuff?"

"It's nothing, Yuki. It's just junk. No need to think about any of it."

Ookami put on a reassuring smile as he said those words, dropping all of the mail into the wicker trash bin. Although, before ridding himself of the letter from the Child Welfare Agency ... the dark-haired man proceeded to rip it into as many pieces as he possibly could.

Hell was going to have to freeze over before he allowed anything or anyone to get in the way of him properly raising his half-human, half-wolf children.

* * *

**_Day #110_**

"Yuki, don't put that on your head! We're going to need that for the batter!"

The Wolf Man couldn't help but let out a mild groan between those two sentences, due to the fact that this had been at least his twentieth order in the past five-to-ten minutes to his daughter. While speaking, he sat aside the whisk that he had been holding and gently grabbed the clean, round, nine-inch cake pan from where Yuki had goofily placed it on top of her head like a hat.

Yuki batted her lashes from where she was sitting on the edge of the counter, wearing her salmon-colored dress with the longer sleeves since it had just finished raining for the past couple of hours and the temperature had dropped down to the mid-sixties. That wasn't _extremely_ cold, but after experiencing weeks of mostly sunny weather and at least eighty degrees in temperature, it was a change that would need to be adapted to.

"This doesn't look like batter, Daddy." Yuki pointed out, clearly confused as she stared into the large glass bowl that was placed in front of her father.

"That's because we still have to stir it." Ookami explained, placing the cake pan back down in its original spot. "Now, don't lean in too close. I don't want you getting your hair in it."

He didn't have the slightest clue as to how or why he ended up in the position that he was now in, but the dark-haired man had decided to bake a cake on this day. There was no special occasion or anything like that. He had just decided to do something that would—hopefully—help him take his mind off the _dozens_ of pamphlets that he had been getting in the mail all throughout the past few weeks. Each one related to different doctors and nearby clinics, courtesy of none other than the "important notice" that Ookami had gotten a few weeks back from the Child Welfare Agency. However, despite their persistence on getting him to take his children out for physicals and shots, the Wolf Man refused to back down. He knew what he was doing ... and in that moment, he was trying to bake a cake. Unfortunately, even doing something as simple and ordinary as baking _wasn't _so easy while also juggling his duties as a part-human, part-wolf parent.

Shortly after lunch, Yuki and Ame had fallen asleep—which wasn't at all unusual since the two of them often got sleepy after eating. So, while they napped, Ookami had taken the opportunity to take a shower. When he was done, he went ahead and trimmed his stubble since he never seemed to have enough time to do it these days. Then, just as he applied aftershave, Ame had woken up and started sobbing from needing his diaper changed. Yuki just so happened to wake up as well, asking if she could have a snack like her brother wasn't even crying; and just like that, Ookami was back in his fatherly routine.

The Wolf Man hadn't even been able to get dressed fully. Currently, he was shirtless and wearing a pair of old, olive-colored sweatpants with Hana's pastel pink apron wrapped around his slender build. Aside from that, he also had his shaggy hair, which was still a little damp from his shower, pulled back in a small ponytail. He had done that to help prevent his hair from falling down in his face while he prepared the ingredients for the cake. And finally, despite not having a top on, Ookami still had the dark blue harness secured around his upper body. So, just like he nearly always was, Ame—who was in a soft, cute, pale blue onesie—was lying against his dad's back and observing his every move.

"Yuki, what did I just say? You're getting too close." Ookami cautioned.

Yuki halted, just as her auburn hair had drooped over her shoulders and came inches away from dipping into the glass bowl. Then, after processing her father's words, she pulled herself away and resumed her spot on the counter.

Ookami let out a breath of relief, right before he grabbed his first-born child's sippy cup that he had placed towards the back of the counter and handed it to her.

"Much better, sweetie. Drink your orange juice now."

"When will the cake be done?" Yuki inquired, being one of those children who definitely possessed a sweet tooth.

"Well, I'm afraid that it's not going to be done for a few hours. When it's finished baking, I'm going to have to let it cool before adding the frosting. Then, I'm going to be getting started on dinner." Ookami explained, adding in a small slip of butter into the glass bowl before making eye contact with his daughter. "You know the rules, Yuki. Dessert isn't' to be served until _after_ supper."

An impatient spark soared through the two-year-old's eyes as she tightened her grip on her sippy cup and retaliated with, "But I want cake now! I don't want to wait until after dinner!"

"_Yuki...!_" Ookami stretched out his first-born child's name and flicked his eyebrows up, which were two things that he always did in order to gain her attention whenever she was acting irritable. "Do you think that Mommy would want you to skip supper?"

As soon as that question reached her ears, Yuki's stubbornness began to falter. Her shoulders sunk, just as she loosened the firmness in her small fists and pressed her lips together. She hesitated a moment before dropping her gaze down to her lap and answering.

"No..."

The Wolf Man gave a faint nod, right before he asked, "And would you want to let any of the ingredients that her money generously bought for us to go to waste?"

The auburn-haired girl slowly shook her head. "No, Daddy..."

"Then, does that mean that you'll wait until _after_ dinner to have a slice of cake?"

Despite how there was a sliver of stubbornness that seemed to have returned to Yuki's features, she still nodded in response to her dad's latest question.

Ookami's lips molded into a pleased smile. "That's my girl. Mommy would be _very_ proud."

With that, Yuki started drinking from her sippy cup and the Wolf Man glanced over his shoulder to check on Ame. After confirming that his second-born child was simply relaxing against his bare back and sucking on his tiny fingers, Ookami redirected his attention back down to the glass bowl that was in front of him.

The glass bowl had already been filled with a majority of the ingredients that were needed to bake this specific cake. It was a secret recipe that came from Hana's family. Before she had died, she had baked that cake for her and the dark-haired man on multiple occasions. She had even taught Ookami on how to bake it, seeing no harm in sharing her family's special recipe with him ... and since Hana was no longer there, the Wolf Man took it upon himself to make sure that their children got to experience the phenomenal taste of that very cake.

The cake was chocolate and completely covered with buttercream icing. Along the top, rainbow sprinkles would be arranged in a perfect swirl. Not only that, but fresh strawberries would also be positioned directly beside each other, neatly lining the top of the cake. Finally, there was the secret ingredient—the sweet jam that acted as the cake's filling. Needless to say, the description of the cake was enough to fill somebody's mouth with saliva and the Wolf Man felt that he was ready to bring it to life on his own for the first time.

"Okay ... so, six ounces of milk comes next." Ookami murmured to himself, just as he picked up the measuring cup that he had already filled with the correct amount of milk and poured it carefully into the glass bowl. "There we go. Now, it's time for the eggs."

He reached for the carton that was lying nearby and opened it. After that, the dark-haired man nearly cringed at the realization that there were only four eggs left. He was going to need to go grocery shopping again soon, but tried to not let that get the better of him in this moment.

Ookami retrieved two eggs and cracked them both one at a time, dropping their golden yolks into the glass bowl. Ame and Yuki watched him in awe, as if they had just witnessed him handle some type of magic trick.

"Another step complete." Ookami noted.

He turned on his back on the glass bowl and took a small step away, dropping the egg shells into the trash bin. Then, as he wiped his hands on the apron in order to get rid of some flour that was smeared across his fingers and palms...

"Ohhh! Pretty!"

... He heard his daughter's voice, sounding absolutely mesmerized.

In less than a second, Ookami spun himself back around, looking like a deer caught in headlights. That's when he saw that Yuki had crawled back over to the bowl and was staring in at the yolks with an innocent, ear-to-ear grin. She was just about to reach in, more than likely so she could grab one of them.

"No, no, no!" Ookami said with slight panic, in which he quickly stepped back over to the counter grabbed his first-born child's wrist with a firm—yet painless—grip. "Yuki, we do _not_ eat raw eggs!"

At first, the two-year-old appeared to be startled by how her father had stopped her from reaching into the glass bowl; but then, after hearing his words, she ended up tilting her head a little to the side in confusion. There was also disappointment beginning to shimmer in her eyes.

"But it's pretty!" Yuki remarked.

Ookami let out a deep sigh. "Just because something looks pretty _doesn't_ mean that it's allowed to go in your body. That's a rule that applies to everyone—even wolf children."

The dark-haired man knew that it would only be a matter of seconds before his daughter would possibly throw herself into one of her typical tantrums. So, in order to prevent her from wanting to do that, he released her wrist and grabbed a fresh strawberry. He had washed a whole pack of them and placed them in a separate bowl, where they were waiting to be used for the cake.

"Here. Have a strawberry instead." Ookami said in a much calmer—and fairly tired—tone.

As soon as she saw the strawberry, Yuki's mouth fell into a wide-open grin and the disappointment that had been in her eyes completely altered into delight. She took the strawberry from the Wolf Man and held it in her small hands, letting out a couple of excited giggles. Then, she started to gnaw at it like it was one of her chew toys. The bites that she took resulted in the strawberry's extract to leak down her face and drip onto her fingers.

Ookami paid no mind to this, courtesy of how he had already accepted the fact that Yuki was a rather messy child. Instead, the dark-haired man nonchalantly picked up the whisk that he had lying with the other utensils and started whisking the contents of the glass bowl.

Suddenly, Yuki spoke up again, "Daddy?"

"Yes, baby?"

"Jam?"

The Wolf Man could tell by just that one word that his daughter was wondering why he hadn't added any jam—as that was the key ingredient to this recipe—to the glass bowl. In return, he shook his head a little and continued to focus on his whisking as he gave Yuki an answer.

"The jam isn't meant to be added to the batter. It comes after the cake is baked—after it cools down and before the icing gets applied."

Yuki blinked, obviously not understanding why the jam couldn't be included in the batter. Nonetheless, instead of asking anymore questions, she simply popped the final piece of her strawberry into her mouth and chewed on it. All the while, she watched the contents of the glass bowl with wonder as Ookami continued to whisk them.

Within another ten-to-fifteen seconds, the batter started to thoroughly appear. It was a dark shade of chocolate, courtesy of the cocoa powder.

Yuki let out an overjoyed gasp, her eyes beginning to sparkle like jewels at the sight of the chocolate batter that—according to her two-year-old brain—had _magically_ formed in the glass bowl. At the same time, Ookami just so happened to feel Ame delicately grab his bare shoulder and try hoisting himself up a little more in his harness. Even for a three-month-old, the Wolf Man's second-born child also appeared to be mesmerized by the batter.

"It's _chocolate!_" Yuki proclaimed cheerfully, as if they had just discovered gold. "Daddy, Daddy! I want some! I want some chocolate!"

Ookami had been suspecting a comment like that from his daughter, remaining surprisingly calm as he felt her grab his arm and shake it as much as she could in excitement. Whether he was too tired to protest or he was simply used to Yuki's gluttony, it was difficult to tell in this particular moment. It was more than likely a mixture of both.

Ookami glanced over her and said, "You can try _one_ spoonful."

After that, the Wolf Man pulled open the closest utensil drawer and grabbed one of the small spoons that his first-born child often used during her meals. Then, he scooped out a decent amount of the thick, creamy, chocolate batter and handed the spoon over to Yuki.

It didn't take long before the auburn-haired girl practically snatched the spoon out of her father's hand. There was nothing but pure enthusiasm covering her face as she stared at the chocolate batter that was just waiting to be devoured. It didn't take many seconds before Yuki popped the spoon in her mouth. She sucked and licked it eagerly, wanting to make sure that she got every last smear of the chocolate batter. Of course, while doing this, she just so happened to make a mess. Just like with what had happened with the strawberry extract, some of the chocolate batter just so happened to get smeared across Yuki's lips and cheeks.

In that moment, Ookami couldn't resist offering his daughter one of his soft, charming smiles. Even with food decorating her face, he couldn't deny that she looked unbelievably adorable and silly. In fact, she might as well have been a younger version of her mother who just so happened to possess her father's personality—and Ookami knew this.

"Yuki, don't be trying to swallow the spoon." Ookami said with a couple of soft chuckles dripping from his words.

"I'm not!" Yuki said back, still caught up in licking and sucking whatever was left of the batter from her spoon.

As this happened, Ookami dipped the tip of his index finger into the chocolate batter and held it over his shoulder for Ame to try. The three-month-old did just that, the innocence never leaving his eyes as he gently latched his lips around his dad's finger and proceeded to suck off the batter. It took him less than ten seconds to do just that.

After Ame was done, Ookami carefully withdrew his finger, cleaned it on the apron, and used the index finger on his opposite hand to test a sample of the chocolate batter himself. The taste was so incredible to the point where it almost caught him off guard. It was so smooth, rich, and sweet—holding the perfect resemblance to how the batter had tasted when Hana had prepared it in the past.

For a moment, the Wolf Man froze. He could remember the day in which his mate had first revealed the cake's recipe to him. It was the same day where she had introduced him to shish-kabobs. A couple of hours after that, Ookami had found himself standing like an oversized child in awe, watching every move that Hana made while preparing the batter. Til' this day, he remembered how sweet the whole apartment smelled and how bubbly Hana looked as she turned to him with a spoonful of the chocolate batter in her hands. Needless to say, his reaction to the batter was filled with just as much delight and satisfaction as his reaction to the shish-kabobs had been.

Now, here he was—two years later, standing in the same kitchen, raising two children, and carrying on Hana's secret cake recipe _without_ her.

Ookami hung his head, feeling his lips beginning to tremble and threaten to fall into a frown. Nonetheless, after about five or so seconds ... he ended up lifting his head back up and showing how he was now wearing the most positive grin that he could muster. Once again, he knew that's what Hana would've wanted—to put on his best smile and move forward. Plus, he had promised her that he would do just that.

"It's delicious, isn't it?" Ookami asked as he redirected his attention over to his daughter again.

"Mm-hm!" Yuki nodded eagerly, her eyes sparkling as she finally removed the spoon from her mouth. "Can't we just eat it like this?"

The Wolf Man let out a noise that sounded like a mixture between a scoff and a laugh. Then, while shaking his head, he said with amusement incorporated into his voice, "No, we most certainly _cannot_ have the batter for dessert."

Yuki's shoulders sank. "Awww!"

"Hold your grubby little self still, Yuki."

The auburn-haired girl did as her father said, sitting as still as she possibly could as he took the spoon from her and placed it in the sink. After that, he grabbed a clean rag that was neatly folded nearby, wetted it with lukewarm water from the faucet, and proceeded to use it to clean the sticky mixture of chocolate batter and strawberry extract away from Yuki's face.

Once Ookami finished cleaning the two-year-old's lips and cheeks, he moved down and started doing the same with her palms and fingers. As he did this, Yuki lightly kicked her legs back and forth over the edge of the counter and glanced over in the direction of the table. She blinked at the sight of the other ingredients that were sitting there, waiting to be used—including the unopened jar of jam.

"Daddy, is it time to add the jam yet?" Yuki asked, in which she pointed a finger in the direction of the kitchen table. "I want to add it now!"

Ookami remained calm, cleaning her final few fingers. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, but it's _not_ time for us to add the jam. Remember how I told you before that we have to wait until the cake bakes and cools down?"

"But that will take forever! The jam is lonely!"

"I'm sure that the jam will be just _fine_ with waiting a little bit longer, Yuki."

With that, the dark-haired man sat the rag aside, gently grabbed his daughter from underneath her arms, lifted her off the counter, and placed her down on the floor just as carefully. Then, he lightly ruffled up Yuki's hair.

"How about you go play with some of your toys while I finish preparing some of the other ingredients?" Ookami proposed, this being because he knew that he was going to be using a knife and he didn't want to risk having the two-year-old remain on the counter as he did so. "When both layers of the cake are finished baking and cooling, I'll have you help me with the frosting and jam. Until then, stay in your human form and go enjoy some playtime."

Surprisingly, Yuki didn't seem to show any signs of protesting. She didn't even say anything back to her father, resulting in Ookami simply turning back around to face the counter. He grabbed a knife from the wooden holder and began to slice off the tops of each of the strawberries, knowing that they wouldn't be needed for the cake.

Meanwhile, the dark-haired man also heard the sound of his daughter's bare feet trotting eagerly across the tiles of the kitchen floor. The pitter-patting only lasted a couple of seconds before stopping entirely; but Ookami didn't really pay any mind to it since he had only thought that Yuki had ran into the other room.

* * *

_"Between the two of us, Dad had to put his frequent visits to the university on hold and quit his job as a mover." ~ Yuki_

* * *

About five seconds went by ... and that's when the Wolf Man suddenly felt a tiny hand—which belonged to none other than Ame—beginning to squeeze around the crook of his neck. It was as if his son was trying to get his attention, so Ookami didn't think twice before stopping his chopping and taking a glance over his shoulder in order to look back at the three-month-old.

However, within seconds after just barely noticing just how concerned Ame looked, Ookami's attention was grabbed by a sight that he wasn't expecting. Yuki was _still_ in the kitchen, standing at the west end of the high table and grabbing fistfuls of the checkered tablecloth. She was pulling at it, causing all of the items that were on the table—the heavy bottle of orange juice, the glass container of jam, and so on—to begin moving towards her.

"AH!" Ookami let out a scream of panic, his eyes practically bulging out of their socks and heart punching him in the chest as he threw himself in the direction of the table. "WHOA!"

The whole table shook as the Wolf Man's body slammed into it and even fell across it, causing plenty of the items that were resting on it to clatter, lose their balance, and tip over. At the same time, the abrupt commotion caused Yuki to collapse to the floor with a surprised yelp. With just a split second to spare, Ookami had caught the bottle of orange juice—which just so happened to be made out of glass—before it could topple over the edge of the table and strike his first-born child.

Ookami breathed heavily, needing a moment to process what just happened. Then, with his upper body still remaining where it was across the surface of the table, he closed his eyes, rested his forehead down, and tried to feel at least somewhat relieved.

"_Yuki..._" Ookami groaned with faint disappointment in his voice. "What did I say to you in the past about pulling stunts like this? They're dangerous..."

The two-year-old helped herself up, unharmed and too young to fully comprehend why it was so "dangerous" to do what she had been doing.

"Sorry, Daddy." Yuki apologized simply, right before she innocently pointed a finger up towards the top of the table. "Jam?"

Ookami exhaled, his forehead still resting against the table as he said back, "No, Yuki. It's not time to apply the jam yet..."

In that moment, it became clear to him that Yuki was one hundred percent okay ... and even though she had just finished nearly giving him a heart attack, the Wolf Man was just grateful that she was alright.

* * *

_"Mom had left us a little money, but it wasn't much in the grand scheme of things..." ~ Yuki_

* * *

**_Day #130_**

With every passing day, Ookami couldn't ignore how money was becoming more and more of an issue. It had been a miracle that all of the yen that Hana had left behind had gotten him and their children _this_ far; but that didn't change how he was blowing right through it and it wouldn't be long—probably just another three or four months—before the Wolf Man would no longer be able to depend on Hana's salary in order to continue living in the apartment. With that being said, he knew that he was going to have to come up with a plan on how he was going to maintain proper meals and a healthy environment for Yuki and Ame—and _fast._

Currently, Ookami was stationed in the main room of the apartment, trying to distract himself from the fact that the rent was due for the hundredth time by the end of the week. It was evident by the look in his dark blue eyes that he was caught up in juggling a variety of thoughts, but he was _still_ making sure that he was keeping up with his duties as a single parent.

While growing up, the dark-haired man had actually done a lot of ironing for the relatives that he had been staying with before he ended up getting his driver's license and moving to Tokyo on his own. So, he knew how to iron pretty well—and that's what he was doing at that very moment.

Ookami was sitting on his knees, wearing his usual pair of dark blue sweatpants with some worn out socks and the black tank top that he often slept in. The ironing board was positioned in front of him and he was looming over it, caught up in gliding the hot iron across a shirt—his plain, white shirt with the stretched-out collar, to be exact.

To the right of the Wolf Man, there were a series of blankets, sheets, towels, and clothes that were lying in a crumpled mess, waiting to be ironed. To the left, on the other hand, were a couple of stacks of the same garments that had already been ironed, folded, and placed accordingly to what they were and who they belonged to.

Ookami exhaled, wiping some beads of sweat away from his brow since the heat from the iron could be felt lifting up into the air and smacking him in the face. After that, he sat the iron down at the opposite end of the board and proceeded to neatly fold the shirt. When he finished, he placed it on the stack of clothes that belonged to him. Then, he took a moment to hang his head and lightly clench his teeth, courtesy of the discomfort that was beginning to build up in his lower back—particularly in the area that was directly above his tailbone.

"Ugh ... how in the world did you manage to do this, Hana?" Ookami inquired under his breath, in which he positioned his hands against his lower back and pressed them carefully into his aching muscles. "I've done my fair share of ironing in the past, but none of those moments from when I was younger took me almost _two hours_ to do..."

Til' this day, the Wolf Man could remember how his true love used to hum and wear one of her bright smiles whenever she was handling the ironing. Back when she was alive, Hana was a master at getting it done quickly and not to mention perfectly. She had _never_ taken nearly two hours ... but to be fair, Hana had done a majority of the ironing back when it was just her and Ookami living in the apartment. So, at that time, there weren't as many towels, sheets, or blankets being used, nor were there any spit up or potty accidents to worry about. Plus, Hana was much more petite compared to the dark-haired man. Unlike him, she wasn't required to hover over the ironing board—which, of course, would explain why she rarely had to worry about any aching muscles in her back. In that moment, Ookami knew that had to admit to himself that he had completely overlooked each of those facts.

"Heh ... of course, how silly of me..." Ookami whispered, a small smile forming on his lips as he let out a small chuckle. "I appreciate every last thing that did when you were here, Hana ... but there's no need to worry now. I have all of this under control."

For another ten or so seconds, he continued to rub the area that was just above his tailbone. Afterwards, he straightened himself back up and stretched his arms to help prevent the strain from spreading to the backs of his shoulders. When that was done, the Wolf Man lifted his head once more and puffed a couple of stray strands of his hair out of his face. That's when his attention fell on Ame, who he had nearly forgotten was just sitting on the opposite side of the ironing board and watching him with his large, adorable, toffee-colored eyes.

As difficult as it was to believe, Ame had actually turned four months just nine days previously.

"Ah, son ... you're just waiting for the moment in which I'll iron your blanket, aren't you?"

Ookami snickered a little more as he said that, extending an arm across the ironing board in order to gently rub the top of Ame's head with affection.

"Don't worry. Daddy will iron it now. That way, it'll be nice and warm for when you take your nap."

Upon retracting his hand, the dark-haired man reached over to the disheveled pile of garments that were still waiting to be ironed and grabbed the pale blue blanket that his second-born child had been wrapped up in on the day in which he was first brought into the world. He lined it up perfectly on the ironing board, right before he grabbed the iron and proceeded to move it smoothly across the small blanket.

The Wolf Man could feel the eyes of his son still watching his every move as he focused on the ironing and made sure that he didn't accidentally burn himself. Luckily, the four-month-old's blanket took less than ten seconds to iron ... but just as Ookami sat the iron aside and was about to fold the blanket up, he was caught off by the sound of a scream.

"W-WAHHHH!"

In less than a second, Ookami snapped his gaze upward and noticed how Ame was now looking at something that was behind him with an alarmed expression on his face. That was all it took to have the dark-haired man glancing over his shoulder ... and as soon as his eyes landed on what it was that had caught his second-born child's attention, Ookami could've sworn that he felt all of the color rush out of his skin. It was as if he had just stared into the eyes of a demon.

It turns out, Yuki—who had previously been playing with some Tupperware in the kitchen—had wandered back into the room without her father knowing. Then, without saying a word, she turned to face the humongous, wooden dresser that was positioned against the wall. Her imagination was running wild, resulting in her silently pulling out the drawers one at a time and beginning to climb up them, as if they were meant to be treated like the steps to a ladder. However, just as the two-year-old was about to reach for the final drawer, she ended up slipping and holding onto the fourth drawer. That's when she screamed, kicking her legs in panic and causing the whole dresser to begin toppling over.

"AH! YUKI!" Ookami shrieked fearfully, just as he sprang into action. "WAH!"

With his heart literally feeling like it was in his throat, the Wolf Man leapt up from the floor and—due to his wolf instinct—caught his daughter by grabbing a hold of the back of her dress with his teeth. Meanwhile, the rest of his body was positioned like a track star that was getting ready to take off. His arms were pressed against the dresser, stopping it from collapsing to the floor with just seconds to spare; and just as the fifth drawer started to slide out on its own, the dark-haired man used the side of his head to stop it.

After that, as Ookami continued to hold Yuki by biting down on the part of her dress that was directly below her neck, he let out a small growl and remained as calm as possible. Then, despite how his face was still decorated with a mixture of shock and worry, the Wolf Man managed to push the dresser back. Now, it was perfectly balanced and back in its original spot.

With slight reluctance, Ookami withdrew his arms from the dresser. Upon doing that, he released Yuki's dress from between his teeth and placed her carefully in his arms like a newborn. She looked up at him with pure innocence, clearly no longer bothered by what just happened since she had been saved from what could've been a disaster.

"Oh, thank God!" Ookami huffed, resting his eyes shut with a nervous sweat now prickled along his hairline. "What a close one!"

His daughter pointed at the dresser, keeping her attention locked on him as she said, "Dangerous?"

The Wolf Man sighed heavily. "Yes, Yuki. Climbing up furniture like that is dangerous."

* * *

_"Wolves or people? ... We didn't know how to be either yet. And us switching back and forth between the two didn't make figuring it out any easier. For us or Dad." ~ Yuki_

* * *

**_Day #146_**

"Daddy is a wolf!"

That was probably the millionth time in which Ookami had heard those words leave Yuki's mouth; but that didn't change how he felt a piece of himself cringe almost every single time that he heard her say that.

The Wolf Man couldn't exactly remember much of his childhood, but that didn't stop him from believing that his children—despite being so young and delicate—were already old enough to understand that their veins were carrying both human and wolf blood. However, just because Ame and Yuki were born to more than likely just know that they were wolf children, _didn't_ mean that they understood that it was a requirement for them to keep that part of themselves a secret from full humans.

Ookami knew that he was going to have to educate Yuki and Ame on the differences between being wolves and being people. He also understood that he was going to have to teach them different methods on how to keep their wolf halves maintained, as well as the important lesson that they couldn't just go around and transform into wolves whenever they liked. Plus, he had to make sure that neither of them—mainly Yuki at this time—told _anybody_ that they were a family of half-wolf individuals. Unfortunately, all of this was _much_ easier said than done.

Each day, around the time in which Ookami knew that a majority—if not all—of the neighbors were out of their apartments and away at work, he would sit down with his children and try providing them with lessons on how humans and wolves contrasted. That's what was happening at this very moment.

"No, no, Yuki!" Ookami said, shaking his head before he pointed a finger at himself. "Daddy is a person—a _human._"

"Wolf!"

The Wolf Man's shoulders drooped, a small frown appearing on his face as he thought about how much his daughter was still struggling to understand the necessity of keeping their secret an actual secret. He paused for a moment, right before he let out a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair.

"Okay ... let's try this again."

Presently, Ookami was sitting on the floor of the apartment's main room, legs crossed and dark blue eyes filled with both gentleness and diligence. Yuki and Ame were sitting across from him, batting their lashes and staring in a mixture of wonder and confusion.

"I'm going to need the two of you to watch and listen _extra_ carefully this time, alright?"

The two-year-old gave a silent nod, while the four-month-old—to no surprise—just gaped. Still, the dark-haired man that it would be the better option for him to start educating them on what it truly meant to be half-human and half-wolf before they bloomed out of their infant and toddler stages. It was a complex task, but waiting would only result in more risks. So, the Wolf Man wasn't planning on stopping these lessons anytime soon.

Ookami lifted one of his hands, keeping his attention locked on his children as he started shifting back and forth from his human form to his wolf form. He would wait about five seconds between each morph, giving his children a chance to study how his hand would transform into a larger paw with small—but very sharp—claws. Then, the rest of his transformation—his longer snout, his pointed ears, his wet nose, and his mixture of dark blue, grey, and white fur—would take place. When the five seconds were over, he would switch back over to his human form, exposing his ordinary appearance—black hair, ivory skin, normal nails, and so on—to Ame and Yuki. The entire time, his clothes—olive-colored sweatpants with his typical, white, stretched-out shirt—stayed present on his body.

"This is a _wolf ..._ and this is a _human..._" Ookami clarified, matching his words with whichever form he was in. "Wolf ... human ... wolf ... human..."

He continued to switch back and forth, knowing that Yuki and Ame were observing his every move. After about ten-to-fifteen seconds, he stopped and remained in his human form. His eyes flickered between his children as he continued to explain everything as much as he could.

"A wolf and a human are two _entirely_ different things. As wolf people, we're not supposed to reveal our secret to _anyone._ No matter what's going on, we can only transform into wolves around _each other._ Not _anybody else._ While we are around other people, we _must_ remain in our human forms." Ookami raised a hand once more, moving it around so his kids could see his palm, fingers, nails, and knuckles. "See? Daddy is in his human form because Daddy knows that he would startle others if they saw him as a wolf. Human ... wolf ... human ... wolf..."

Once again, just like he always did during these lessons, the dark-haired man—according to which word left his mouth—altered back and forth from his human identity to his wolf identity. He slowly rotated his lifted hand while doing so, wanting Ame and Yuki to see how hands and paws differed from each other. Then, upon going another ten-to-fifteen seconds, the Wolf Man settled for his human appearance again.

"Now, Yuki ... can you tell Daddy what it is that we are?" Ookami asked as he settled his gaze on his first-born child and put on his most encouraging grin.

Yuki blinked at him, pausing for a moment. It appeared that she was trying to process everything that she had just seen and heard. When that was over, she broke out into a cute smile and gave her answer.

"We're wolf people!"

As soon as he heard those words, Ookami let out a heavy sigh and he felt like smacking himself upside the head for providing his children with that new term. His shoulders sunk and he closed his eyes, a fatigued expression crossing over his face as he rubbed it with one of his hands. Afterwards, he rested his head in the same hand and focused on his children again. The two of them were still looking at him as well.

The Wolf Man mumbled under his breath, "Well, Ookami ... it looks like we still have our work cut out for us."

Suddenly, within seconds after the dark-haired man said those words, Yuki started to shake right there in front of him. It was as if she was a dog that had just gotten done climbing out of the bath ... and it didn't take long before her delicate paws, beige-colored fur, and pointed ears appeared.

Ame lifted his head, his innocent gaze captured by the sight of his sister's furry ears twitching. He stretched one of his little arms up, obviously making an attempt to reach for one of Yuki's ears; but it didn't take long before the four-month-old lost his balance and fell face-first to the floor. Nonetheless, instead of bursting into tears like his father had thought that he was going to do, Ame silently pushed himself up onto his hands and knees. Then, he shook himself like he was trying to get rid of any dizziness ... and that's when _his_ wolf form—tinier paws with pale grey fur, a dull blue nose, and slightly less pointy ears—emerged.

Yuki and Ame looked at each other, taking in each other's wolf forms like they had never seen one another like that before. Yuki appeared to be much more intrigued, while Ame looked like he was in more awe than anything.

The two wolf children, after continuing to stare at each other for another five-to-ten seconds, then redirected their attention back over to their dad. Their pointed ears continued to cutely flutter and their eyes wouldn't stop shimmering with complete and utter purity.

Ookami flicked his eyes back and forth between Ame and Yuki, his head still resting in his hand. Then, after a moment of thinking ... a faint grin slipped across the Wolf Man's face.

"Ah ... what the heck..."

With that, Ookami straightened himself back up and shook his body like both of his kids had done beforehand. When he stopped, it was revealed that he had allowed a partial amount of his wolf identity to come back out. It was just his front paws, accompanied by only the paler sections of his fur, the pointed ears that were poking out of his black hair, and his black nose. His lips were still molded into an affectionate smile, too.

There were no words that could possibly describe just how much Ookami loved seeing Yuki and Ame's eyes practically shimmer at the sight of him participating in their little game. He could also tell that Hana had been there, she would've been observing the scene with nothing but pure joy and admiration.

_"We can try the lesson again tomorrow..."_ Ookami told himself in his mind, truly content with that thought.

* * *

**_Day #169_**

Ame had always been a picky eater. Ever since the day in which he was brought into the world, he seemed to possess an extra sensitive immune system. This prevented him from wanting to eat hardly at all; but that didn't stop Ookami from trying to find foods that his son actually _would_ enjoy. However, that wasn't such an easy task.

The Wolf Man had went through a variety of different baby foods—strained peas, crushed prunes, creamed corn, and even the jars that mixed a couple of the fruits or vegetables together. Unfortunately, almost all of them were discarded after going through their first attempts of being used as nourishment for Ame. Some of them made the four-month-old spit up even more than usual, while others made him grow fussy and refuse to accept the spoon. So, instead of wasting anymore yen on all of store-bought baby foods, Ookami decided to resort to putting together his own meals for Ame—like he commonly did for Yuki.

Currently, it was a little after three-thirty in the afternoon—the time where Ookami gave his children snacks to help hold them over until supper. Today, he had created some homemade applesauce for his son. It consisted of two, fresh red apples that he had washed, skinned, and mashed up, along with a single Granny Smith that gave the mush a pale green tint. There was also a couple of banana slices and some orange zest incorporated into it. This actually seemed to be one of the four-month-old's most favorite meals, which resulted in the Wolf Man making it so often.

Once again, Ookami found himself sitting on the floor of the apartment's main room with his legs crossed. Across from him, Ame was observing his every move and sitting comfortably on a plump, yellow pillow.

"Okay, son. Here comes another airplane."

The dark-haired man did his best to mimic the sound of an airplane, moving the spoon around in a couple of slow, circular motions. As he did this, he wore a warm grin and watched as his son's gaze never left the spoon. Then, at the exact moment in which the spoon arrived at its destination, Ame opened his mouth and accepted the scoop of applesauce.

"There you go. Good job, Ame."

Ookami chuckled while softly encouraging his second-born child, using the spoon to clean away some leftover applesauce from Ame's mouth before it could dribble down his chin and land on his bib.

The Wolf Man then made a move to scoop out another spoonful from the pastel blue bowl that he was holding. Just as he finished doing this, he ended up pausing and turning his head in the direction of the opposite side of the room. Something—a noise, to be exact—had grabbed his attention.

"Hmpth!"

The sound was a stubborn huff, coming from none other than Yuki. She was sitting on her knees in her pink chair, stationed at the little wooden table and and staring in the direction of the window. In her hands, she was holding her pastel yellow bowl that her dad had filled with an appropraite amount of her favorite graham crackers. She was even nibbling on one of the graham crackers in that very moment. Yet, there was a childish look of pure annoyance covering her face.

Ookami raised an eyebrow, feeding the new spoonful of applesauce to Ame. When he finished with that, he gazed over at his daughter again.

"Is something the matter, Yuki?"

"Hmpth! It's just not fair, Daddy!" Yuki blurted back almost immediately, redirecting her attention over to the Wolf Man with crumbs from her current graham cracker covering the sides of her mouth.

"What's not fair?"

Without looking away from her father, Yuki pointed a finger sharply in the direction of the window and said, "It's not snowing outside!"

After receiving that response, the concern that had been forming inside of Ookami automatically dissolved. He let out a soft breath, glad that this wasn't anything truly serious, and put on a new grin as he spoke gently to his first-born child.

"Well, of course it's not snowing, baby. It's summertime."

"Summer is boring!" Yuki barked, right before she quickly placed what was left of her current graham cracker in her mouth, chewed it up, and swallowed it. "There's nothing fun to do in the summer!"

Ookami's soft smile twitched a little, almost falling into a frown. At the same time, his eyes glowed with sympathy and he lowered his gaze back to the pastel blue bowl, moving the spoon around to make it seem like he was only trying to stir the homemade applesauce around.

However, in reality, the Wolf Man understood why his daughter would be against summer so much. During the summer, school would be let out and the streets of Tokyo would be bustling even more than usual. Not only would it be too hot for Yuki or Ame to truly enjoy, but there would be far too many people around them and their chances of having their family secret exposed would be dangerously heightened. Plus, they were too young to participate in hardly any of the summer activities that their neighborhoods had to offer and Ookami wanted to keep them away from any conversations about school that were possibly lingering around. With that being said, it was pretty obvious as to why Yuki preferred the colder seasons over the warmer ones so much—there weren't as many people outside during the colder seasons and she, along with Ame, actually got to have fun outdoors.

Ookami hated having to keep his children cooped up in the apartment for the summer, especially since he had actually had the opportunity as a child to experience how much fun this particular season could be. After all, before he had moved to Tokyo, he lived in the mountains—far away from hardly any civilization—and he got to bask in the joy that came with splashing through the river, hunting in the woods, and the list could go on for miles. Unfortunately, he was raising Ame and Yuki in an entirely different environment ... and that meant that they didn't have the same benefits as he did while growing up in an isolated area.

Nonetheless, Ookami did what he knew what Hana would've done in that moment. He kept his reassuring grin right where it was in order to prevent Yuki's annoyance from possibly increasing, just as he also scooped out another little spoonful of applesauce and fed it to Ame. When he finished with that, Ookami glanced over in his daughter's direction again.

"Why don't you try playing with those new toys that I just recently bought for you and your brother?"

He was referring to the chew toys that were shaped like a bunch of doughnuts. They would squeak when they were squeezed and Ookami had purchased them the previous week, courtesy of how Yuki had seen them in the window of a pet shop during one of her and Ame's walks. However, the two-year-old refused to be satisfied by a couple of chew toys at this time.

"No! I want snow!" Yuki exclaimed, quickly chewing and swallowing another graham cracker after selecting it from her bowl. "Summer has been here for too long! I want it to go away so it can snow!"

When she finished that final sentence, she grabbed yet another graham cracker and practically shoved the entire thing into her mouth.

The Wolf Man's smile faltered. "Yuki, what have I told you about eating like that? You _need_ to make sure that you take small bites and chew _carefully._ You don't want to choke, do you?"

Despite the bullheaded expression that was still decorating Yuki's face, she stopped chewing with her cheeks almost completely puffed out. Then, after staring at her father with this look in her eyes that made it clear that she had acknowledged his words, she continued to chew the graham cracker at a much slower pace. About ten seconds later, she swallowed and continued to talk like she had never stopped.

"I want to roll around in the snow and make snow angels, Daddy! I want it to snow so me and Ame can go outside more! And I want—"

"Yuki...!" Ookami cut her off, just as he gathered another spoonful of homemade applesauce, fed it to his son, and then made eye contact again with his daughter. "I understand that you're very eager for winter to come back, but summer isn't going to just go away. We still need to wait for December to arrive before we'll receive enough snow for you and Ame to play in."

"But waiting is so _hard!_" Yuki whined, her face becoming both sour and sad as she dropped her attention down to her bowl of graham crackers again. "It's not fair that snow only comes during the winter! I want it to come during _all_ of the seasons!"

The dark-haired man gave an understanding nod and said, "I know, sweetheart."

Ame stuck one of his little arms out in the direction of the pastel blue bowl and made a small sound, indicating that he wanted more of the applesauce. Ookami noticed this and didn't think twice before serving him yet another spoonful, cleaning more of the homemade mush away from his lips afterwards.

"Daddy!" Yuki proclaimed once more, this being after she devoured another graham cracker.

Ookami let out a soft breath, right before he redirected his attention over to her again and said, "Yes, Yuki?"

"You're a grown-up! Why can't _you_ make winter come faster?"

The Wolf Man blinked, needing a moment to process what he just heard. Shortly after that, amusement started to flicker in his eyes and he couldn't help but release a string of chuckles. After all, Yuki had asked the question in the most serious manner that any two-year-old possibly could. It would be impossible for somebody to not laugh, but that didn't stop Ookami from muffling his snickers. He knew how much his first-born child didn't like it when she felt like she was being laughed at and he didn't wish to make her angry.

"I'm sorry, darling, but I'm afraid that it's not possible for me to control the weather or seasons. Nobody—not even grown-ups—has power over things like those."

Yuki pursed her lips and glanced down at her bowl of graham crackers again, appearing to be disappointed.

"Hmpth! ... Nobody at all?"

Ookami softly shook his head, his amusement starting to waver as a piece of him began to feel like he should've gotten knocked upside the head for breaking news like that to a two-year-old.

Nevertheless, Yuki's sulking didn't last long. On the contrary, it only lasted about five-to-ten seconds. Afterwards, a look of pure determination formed on her face and she straightened herself back up. It was as if her shoulders had never been slumped and her prior disappointment hadn't even existed.

"I bet that I can make it snow!" Yuki declared, sounding just as confident as she looked.

Just like that, Ookami's amusement was restored. Relief flickered through his dark blue eyes as one of his gentle grins formed on his lips again. He went along with his daughter, just glad to hear that she wasn't discouraged by his previous statement.

"Is that so?"

"Uh-huh! I'll be the first person in the whole world to make it snow!"

The Wolf Man tilted his head a little to the side, still smiling as he said, "And how do you plan on doing that?"

"I know a place where I can find some snow! I'll get it from there!"

Ookami chuckled a little again, pleased by Yuki's sudden burst of cheerfulness. It made him think so much of Hana and he was certain that their daughter had gotten that specific part of her personality from her.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that you came up with a way to handle this problem. I wish you the best of luck in getting it to snow."

"Thanks, Daddy!" Yuki chirped, hopping down from her chair and placing what was left of her graham crackers on the little wooden table. "I'm going to go make it snow now!"

"Okay, sweetheart! Make sure not to catch a cold!"

The Wolf Man snickered once again as he said that, having already dropped his attention back down to the bowl of applesauce. He didn't put too much thought into Yuki's words since she was only two. He didn't think that her whole claim on getting it to snow was anything more than just her overactive imagination kicking into high gear, as it usually did on a day-to-day basis. So, even when he heard the sound of his daughter's footsteps trotting out of the room, he didn't fixate on it. Instead, he simply scooped out another spoonful of homemade mush and held it out to Ame, who didn't hesitate to accept it.

* * *

Five minutes went by.

Ookami had been caught up in feeding Ame what was left of the applesauce, but that didn't stop him from overhearing the sound of Yuki's soft, precious laughter. Even with his back facing the direction in which it was coming from, the dark-haired man had a hunch that it was coming from the kitchen. His face was still decorated by a smile, which only seemed to grow brighter as he thought about how his daughter must've been in the middle of exploring an imaginary, snowy mountain or skating across a fictional lake that was completely iced over. In the end, Ookami was just glad that Yuki seemed to be having a lot of fun with whatever it was that she was doing.

For the Wolf Man, this was the first time in God knows how long in which he truly felt like he had everything under control. Not only were the kids behaving just fine, but he had already finished a majority of his daily tasks around the apartment and he already had the meal for dinner all planned out. Perhaps, if this rare day of good behavior continued, Ookami was going to find himself being able to take a nap at the same time as Yuki and Ame. There were no words that could've possibly described just how _amazing_ and _heavenly_ that sounded to the dark-haired man—just like it probably would've for _any_ single, hardworking parent.

Ookami presented the last spoonful of homemade mush to his son, warmly observing him as he accepted it into his mouth. Afterwards, he gently pulled the spoon back out of Ame's mouth and placed it down inside of the empty bowl.

"Ah, way to go, Ame! You finished every last bite." Ookami declared, unable to tell whether he felt more relieved or proud as he used his thumb to delicately wipe away a leftover glob of applesauce from the corner of Ame's mouth. "Mommy would be _very_ proud of you. Now, let's hope that you can keep it down like you've done before."

The dark-haired man wiped his thumb along the edge of the pastel blue bowl, getting the small blob of applesauce off of it. The whole time, his charming grin remained right where it was ... but then, just a couple of seconds later, the easy-going scenario was interrupted by something that was highly unexpected.

_BANG! CLINK! CRASH!_

Ookami jumped like a startled cat, his shoulders automatically growing tense as he realized right off the bat that those noises had come from multiple pots and pans falling to the floor. His ears ringed with their noisy clatters, but that didn't stop him from also noticing that his first-born child's laughter had stopped.

The Wolf Man twisted himself around and stared in the direction of the kitchen, not knowing whether he felt more startled or anxious by the loud sounds that he just heard. Ame had also turned his head in the same direction, looking utterly alarmed.

"Yuki?!"

While calling out for his daughter, Ookami didn't think twice before picking himself up from the floor, sweeping his son up into his arms, and jogging over to the entrance of the kitchen.

"Yuki, what's going on in—"

Before he could finish asking his question, the dark-haired man ended up cutting himself off not even a split second after he made it over to the doorway. He stared into the kitchen, immediately coming to a halt as his heart took a stunned leap in his chest. At the same time, Ookami's jaw dropped and his eyes grew to the point where they almost looked like they had become too large for his head. He couldn't _believe_ what he was looking at.

Every last inch of the kitchen—the cabinets, counters, floor, and even some of the walls—was _covered_ in white powder. Its overpowering scent easily gave it away that it was flour, along with the few _All Purpose_ bags that were lying on the floor. They had practically been all chewed up and torn apart. Surroundings them, paw prints could be seen and there were other marks in the flour that indicated that somebody had been sliding, jumping, and rolling around in it. Not only that, but the refrigerator had been opened all the way, filling the kitchen with a chill that made it feel like early winter. Lastly, the checkered tablecloth had been pulled off from the table, causing the variety of pots and pans that had been sitting there to fall to the floor. Now, they—along with the tablecloth—were _also_ riddled with flour. Needless to say, the entire kitchen was a complete and utter _mess._

Suddenly, just as the Wolf Man finished letting out a small scream of shock, he witnessed a lump that was beneath the tablecloth begin to move around in a rambunctious manner. Then, just a couple of seconds later, Yuki poked her head out from underneath it, revealing that she was back in her wolf form.

At the sight of her father, she flashed a giant smile and hopped out from beneath the tablecloth like she was too excited to stay hidden from somebody during their surprise party. Her beige-colored fur, auburn hair, and not to mention her little, faded pink dress was _completely_ peppered with flour.

"Daddy, Daddy! Look at what I did!" Yuki proclaimed cheerfully, her tail wagging as she pounced from side to side and caused some of the white powder to lift up into the air like mist.

"Y-Yuki!" Ookami exclaimed as he took a double-take of the kitchen, feeling like his lungs were being deflated from the amount of disbelief that he was in. "What in the world did you do?!"

The two-year-old remained spunky, obviously not seeing anything wrong in what she just did to the entire kitchen. She rolled over a single time, still basking in her wolf form, and giggled as she then sat down. The whole time, her tail continued to wag from where it now poking out from the top of her diaper.

"I made it snow! Just like I said I would!" Yuki declared, shortly before she started to blink a little in uncertainty. "But there was something wrong with this snow, Daddy. It wasn't cold like the snow that falls outside. So, I tried to help it get cold all by myself!"

The Wolf Man was just about to open his mouth to ask his daughter what she meant by her final sentence; but he stopped himself when he recalled how the fridge had been opened. He looked down at the floor, trying eagerly to find a spot that wasn't covered with flour. However, he was unable to ... because the flour was literally everywhere.

"Ohh ... _Yuki..._" Ookami groaned, stretching her name out in a manner that made him sound tired, disappointed, and exasperated all in one. "You _didn't..._"

Yuki tilted her head a little to the side. "Hm?"

Having no choice, the dark-haired man stepped into the kitchen. His bare feet and the bottoms of his sweatpants automatically got dusted with flour, but he ignored that as much as he could and quickly sat the pastel blue bowl down on the table. Then, with Ame—who looked just as startled by everything—still being held in his arms, Ookami stepped over one of the fallen pots and shivered from the chill that rushed down his spine from him approaching the fridge. Nonetheless, as soon as he made it over to it, he didn't think twice before closing it.

The Wolf Man then turned back around, exhaling quietly as he made eye contact with the two-year-old again. As he did this, a discouraged sparkle shot through his dark blue eyes and the first thought that came to his mind was, _"So much for having everything under control today..."_

"Yuki, we _can't_ just leave the fridge open like that. It costs money to keep it running. Plus, leaving it open can cause all of our food to spoil and if the whole apartment gets cold, you and your brother could get sick."

Yuki blinked multiple times, obviously trying to understand everything that she was being told. She then glanced around at all of the so-called "snow" that was around her, her ears twitching in even more confusion. Eventually, after a couple of seconds, she lifted her gaze back up to her dad.

"But what about the snow, Daddy?"

Ookami rubbed his face with one of his hands, trying to get rid of the sudden wave of tiredness that had just come crashing over him. Then, after pushing some of his hair out of his face, he said, "Sweetheart, this _isn't_ snow. This is flour."

"What's _flour?_" Yuki asked, making the word sound foreign as the confusion in her eyes increased.

Just then, as the Wolf Man tried to come up with some quick and simple explanation, he felt his son suddenly beginning to shake his body around as much as he could in his arms.

Ookami dropped his attention down to Ame, realizing what he was doing with just a split second to spare. When that split second was up, the four-month-old's pale grey fur, dull blue nose, pointy ears, and delicate paws appeared like they had always been there. Apparently, Ame had reached the point in his life where he would commonly transform into a wolf whenever he saw Yuki or Ookami in _their_ wolf forms. Otherwise, he usually remained in his human form.

Ookami's shoulders drooped and he let out a sigh, just now realizing that he was much closer to the chapter where he was going to have to handle more frequent switches between _both_ of his children instead of just_ one._

"What's wrong, Daddy?" Yuki inquired innocently.

The Wolf Man redirected his gaze back over to his first-born child, knowing that he was going to have to get her cleaned up before tidying up the kitchen—all before it was time to prepare dinner, too. So, despite how much of a disappointing setback this whole flour-related catastrophe was, Ookami still forced himself to put on a faint grin.

"Nothing's wrong, princess." Ookami said, softly shaking his head. "Daddy's just a little tired, that's all. Now, come on ... let's get you cleaned up in the tub."

* * *

It took forty-five minutes for Ookami to _finally_ manage to wash all of the flour out of Yuki's hair and fur ... and as soon as those forty-five minutes came to an end, he ended up regretting how he had decided to give her a bath instead of a shower. Unfortunately, it had slipped the Wolf Man's mind that when flour mixed with water, it typically clumped together and created a sticky mess. So, by the time he had unplugged the drain in the tub and the water had finished going down ... it came to the dark-haired man's realization that the entire bath was overrun by a mixture of sticky globs and powdery streaks. There was also a boatload of stray furs sprinkled across the floor of the tub, coming from none other than Yuki since she preferred being bathed while in her wolf form.

Before bathing his daughter, the Wolf Man had tied his hair back in a small ponytail—wanting to keep it out of his face—and removed his shirt in order to prevent any flour or water from getting on it. Now, he was positioned on his knees beside the tub with everything below the undersides of his elbows completely covered by a light, grainy layer of flour. It felt like wet plaster that was in the process of drying. Not only that, but there were also a couple of random splotches of damp flour splattered across his left cheek from one of the many times in which Yuki had shook in the bath. Luckily, the walls of the tub were tall enough in order to prevent the water from going all over the floor, walls, and other bathroom essentials.

Ookami dragged out a long, heavy breath as he took a moment to process the fact that whole tub was now dirty and it was yet _another_ mess that he was going to have to clean up. He had his arms crossed, lying them along the edge of the tub with his chin resting on his forearm and eyes locked on Yuki. He was watching as she chased her tail, yapping away like she always did after receiving a bath.

Also, the Wolf Man had left Ame in the apartment's main room during Yuki's bath, knowing that the most that he would probably do was either sleep or nibble on some of the chew toys. He wouldn't have to worry about him and he needed to make sure that he got rid of every last speck of flour that was on his daughter's body.

* * *

_"Dad said that he had always wondered if he had been anything like me or Ame when **he** was a child. He couldn't remember a whole lot from his childhood ... but that didn't stop him from seeing bits and pieces of himself in the two of us. It helped prevent him from feeling overwhelmed by our unpredictable behavior ... as well as assisted him with smiling like he believed Mom would've done if she had been the one in his place. Til' this day, I **still** can't believe that he managed to handle everything with such a calm look almost always on his face." ~ Yuki_

* * *

"Okay, Yuki. Are you ready to come out now?" Ookami asked with his lips twisted into a soft smile and eyes just a little bit droopy.

Just like that, his first-born child stopped running in circles and hopped up onto her hind legs, thankfully not stepping in any of the floury sludge that still remained stuck to the walls and floor of the bath. Then, with her furry face accompanied by a wide smile that could melt even the devil's heart, Yuki placed her front paws on the edge of the tub. Her tail was wagging, her eyes were sparkling like shooting stars, and she looked even _more_ energized than she normally would.

"Yes, Daddy!" Yuki confirmed as she gave her father a single, perky nod. "All clean now!"

Ookami chuckled lightly. "Yeah, sweetheart. You're squeaky clean."

Yuki tilted her head, blinking with curiosity. "Why do you say _squeaky,_ Daddy? Are wolves or people supposed to squeak when they're clean?"

"No, darling. It's just a figure of speech."

The Wolf Man snickered a little more while giving that response, just as he rose back up onto his bare feet—which still had flour dusted across their bottoms—and retrieved the soft, lavender towel that he had waiting neatly on the toilet. He unfolded it and held it out in front of him, just barely managing to save himself as Yuki shook once again. Water flew in every which direction like she was a sprinkler, causing her fur to puff out and make her look like a beige-colored cotton ball.

"Alright. Upsy-daisy."

Ookami wrapped the towel around his daughter's body, right before he carefully lifted her out of the tub. Then, he seated himself on the toilet—courtesy of how their bathroom was _incredibly_ tiny—and he lowered Yuki down onto the pale, mocha-colored tiles. Afterwards, he proceeded to squeeze out any of the remaining water from her hair and smooth her fur out. All the while, he made sure that none of the flour from his hands or arms got on her.

Yuki giggled. "It's so warm, Daddy!"

"I know it is. It's fresh out of the dryer. Nothing but the best for you."

For another ten-to-twenty seconds, the dark-haired man continued to dry his first-born child off. When he was finished, he draped the small towel over his arm, affectionately ruffled up Yuki's hair a little, and then stared directly into her eyes from where he was still sitting on the toilet.

"Okay, Yuki. It's time for Daddy to start cleaning the tub out." Ookami said simply, despite how it would've been obvious to anybody else that he was juggling plenty of responsibilities and was sleepy. "I want you to go ahead and play with your brother in the other room; but neither of you are allowed back in the kitchen until it's all cleaned up. Is that understood?"

Yuki gave another nod, followed by a, "Mm-hm!"

"That's what I like to hear. Now, run along. And make sure to be gentle with Ame!"

"I will!"

With no hesitation, after those two final words left her mouth, Yuki took off running on all fours. She darted out of the bathroom and immediately turned to enter the main room of the apartment, panting happily with her tongue hanging out of her wide-open smile the entire time. She left behind the mixed scents of cherry blossoms and strawberries, both of which came from the soap and shampoo that her father had practically doused her in. She had also left behind her little pink dress that Ookami was going to need to add to the washer in order to get the flour out of the fabric; but the Wolf Man didn't pay much attention to that since he—during the warmer seasons—usually allowed his children to run around with no clothes on after their baths.

As soon as Yuki disappeared from view, Ookami's shoulders drooped and his smile faded in a somewhat discouraged manner. As he did this, he tried to ignore the mixture of paw prints and footprints that were still dotted along the floor. They started from the flour-infested kitchen and led all the way to the bathroom. Of course, the dark-haired man knew that he was going to have to clean all of those prints up; but he wanted to make sure that he got the tub done first. The last thing that he wanted was for the clumps of flour to dry and stay stuck where they were, especially with Yuki's wolf hair added in.

With a huff, the Wolf Man stood up from the toilet and stepped over to the sink. He placed his hands on opposite sides of it, hung his head, and took a moment to rest his eyes shut, his mind numbering off all of the new tasks that he had to take care of now. All it took was one look at him to be able to tell that he was exhausted and under a lot of stress, especially with him _still_ needing to come up with a way to solve his family's money problem.

Nevertheless, instead of allowing himself to sulk ... Ookami found himself breaking out into a new, soft grin. He opened his eyes again and stared down at his bare feet, suddenly recalling something that he had once said a little over two years earlier.

* * *

**_Two Years Earlier..._**

* * *

_The evening was dim, yet the streets were practically sparkling from the lamp posts that were placed in a variety of random areas. They were projecting bright white beams of light and attracting moths that somehow looked like little angels from a distance. The air was accompanied by a soothing, tepid breeze and the sky was completely cluttered with glittery constellations, making it look like something that had been taken straight out of a romance novel._

_It was a weekday, which meant that by this time in the evening, all of Tokyo was practically vacant. Shops had closed and everyone had returned home, ready to spend some time with their families before going to bed and preparing for work or school the following morning. Yet, there were two individuals that were currently walking together—Ookami and Hana._

_The Wolf Man had been waiting for his mate in front of Hakujūji, knowing that it would only be a matter of time before she finished her shift at the dry cleaners. He had been distracting himself by flipping through the pages of the same, little, light brown journal that he had kept with him ever since he left his relatives and first moved to the city. In it, he had written all about his dream of finding a place of his own to live—a place where he felt welcomed and truly loved. He had also went into detail about his thoughts on the many families that he had seen and helped during his shifts as a mover. He had nothing but good, heartwarming things to say about practically all of them—even the kind, elderly woman who had three, little, yapping dogs in sweaters._

_He had been cornered on her balcony, trying to remove the outdoor furniture that she no longer wanted when she hurried out, snatched the barking dogs up, and ordered them to "leave the nice man alone." That wasn't the first time in which the dark-haired man had found himself in a situation like that ... but that didn't stop him from almost admiring every single family that he came in contact with. In fact, that's probably what eighty-five percent of his journal was about—his thoughts on all of these families and their homes. He didn't really open up about it to anyone, not wanting to risk coming off as a creep since he seemed to cherish even the smallest things that other people were fortunate to have._

_However, Hana was different than any other person that he had **ever** met—so sweet, optimistic, ambitious, and understanding. They had been dating for almost six months and Ookami knew that he could trust her. Of course, he also understood that he was going to have to tell her about his **other** secret in order to prevent their relationship from being tarnished by unhealthy mysteries or lies. So, Ookami considered this to be baby steps—opening up about his desire for a home first and at some point in the near future, exposing his wolf identity to his girlfriend._

_Now, the two were walking through a neighborhood of apartments and other mismatched buildings. Their shoes tapped against the pavement with every slow step that they took. Ookami might've had an early shift in the morning and Hana might've had classes; but they never allowed time to get in the way of how long they chose to be in each other's presence. They **always** made sure to savor their time together._

_Ookami glanced around, feeling Hana's gaze on him as dragged his attention around from one building to the next. A genuine smile was molded across his lips and he was speaking with complete honesty, knowing that his mate was hanging onto every word that came out of his mouth._

_"Every apartment has like its own little world inside. Some families have money ... some don't..."_

_The Wolf Man's dark blue eyes sparkled with passion, his face being illuminated by one of the lamp posts. By that point, he and Hana had made it to the end of the road and were beginning to walk up a series of concrete stairs that were constructed into a ramp. The whole time, their movements remained slow and patient._

_"Five people live in that one. And there, just two." Ookami went on, flicking his gaze from one specific apartment that he remembered to another. "Some are full of kids. Others, all old folks."_

_There was something in the dark-haired man's heart that seemed to grow a little warm at the mention of children. He didn't necessarily know if it was because of his wolf instinct or his human instinct, but Ookami was positive that he felt an even stronger, paternal feeling whenever he was in the presence of little kids._

_At last, Ookami and Hana made it to the top of the stairs. Although, instead of continuing their walk, they froze in their tracks and turned around to see the view that was provided. All around them, there was nothing but a sea of small houses, apartment complexes, and tall buildings. Golden glows were coming from practically each and every last one of their windows, making it look like they were witnessing a beautiful show of lanterns. A train had even rolled by in the distance, filling the air with the temporary sounds of the wheels clacking and whistle being blown. Needless to say, it made the whole starry atmosphere even **more** beautiful and perfect._

_Hana stared in awe, while Ookami's grin broadened. This was one of his most favorite spots in all of Tokyo, simply because he found himself drifting around quite a lot and the view fed his passion of finding a home of his own._

_"It'd be nice to have a home—a place where I belong." Ookami said at last, feeling the breeze caress his face as he continued to take in the sight. "I'd kick off my shoes, give my face a good washing, sit back in a comfy chair..."_

_Hana started to turn her head, redirecting her attention back over to the Wolf Man. Her eyes were shimmering with a mixture of care and interest, as well as the realization that he hadn't been so fortunate to have a place to call his own._

_"It must be nice ... I could build a bookshelf, and once I filled it with books, what's to keep me from building another?" Ookami went on, the admiration in his voice increasing with every word that he spoke. "You just can't put a price on freedom like that."_

_The corners of Hana's mouth twitched upwards, forming one of her pretty smiles. She felt her heart flutter in her chest as she took the time to think about every passionate word that left Ookami's mouth. She truly **did** love him ... and even though he didn't have much, he still appreciated everything that he already had. He was also sharing his dream without complaining about anything ... and there were no words that could possibly describe just how much Hana admired that._

_After staring at him for what felt like a blissful eternity, Hana glanced back at the fantastic view. Then, with nothing but pure sweetness in her voice, she said the exact sentence that was on her mind._

_"I could belong there too, if you don't mind the company."_

_Ookami's eyes widened and his mouth fell open for a moment in surprise. He then glanced over at his mate, feeling what was like butterflies beginning to flutter around in the pit of his stomach. He didn't say anything else, too caught up in replaying what Hana had just said to him in his mind. So, he silently went back to staring at the sea of buildings that were before the two of them. The whole time, he could feel what was most definitely a blush tingling across his cheeks ... and he knew right then and there that this was the young woman that he had been waiting for his entire life._

* * *

Seven months after that day, Ookami had revealed his wolf form to Hana. He remembered because it was around Christmas time and he—with guilt—had left her waiting outside Hakujūji for several hours. He had been trying to buck up the courage to go and get her, so he could lead her away to a forest that was almost directly outside of the city. Once they got there, Ookami was _finally_ able to convince himself that it was time to expose the whole other side of himself ... and later that night, he and Hana ended up making love for the first time. Just two days after that, he agreed to move in with her since she now knew his secret.

Ever since then, this apartment had been the Ookami's long-awaited home ... and it been all because of Hana. She had given him a place where he belonged, as well as home-cooked meals, a warm bed to sleep in, and two, beautiful, healthy children. Even now, she might've been gone ... but that didn't change the fact that she had completely altered the Wolf Man's life. Plus, no matter how much time went on ... her memory would _never_ fade.

Ookami continued to stare down at his feet, curling his toes a little against the cold tiles of the bathroom floor.

_"I'd kick off my shoes..."_

His smile grew a little more as the words came back to his mind. At the same time, he lifted his head back up, turned the faucets, cuffed his hands underneath the lukewarm water, and started splashing himself in the face. Not only did it chase away the tiredness that was lingering through his system for the time being, but by scrubbing his cheeks, he knew that he had also gotten rid of the flour that had been splattered there.

_"Give my face a good washing..."_

After about ten seconds, the Wolf Man stopped washing his face and dried it with the same towel that he had used to dry his daughter off. As he did this, he could hear the sound of Yuki biting on what he could tell must've been one of the chew toys ... and his smile never disappeared.

When he finished drying off his face, Ookami turned the sink off, lifted his attention to the mirror, and stared at his reflection. Then, a couple of seconds later, he peered up towards the ceiling and began to speak in a soft, sincere voice.

"Hana ... if it hadn't been for you, I don't know where I'd be. You're the one who took me in and made my dream come true. Thanks to you, I have a place to call home ... and you didn't just stop there. Instead, you went even further and beared my two kids, _knowing_ that they would be different. If _that_ isn't unconditional love, then I don't know what is." Ookami paused for a moment, right before he let out a couple of quiet, content chuckles and continued. "You really were my diamond in the rough ... and words can't even possibly begin to describe how much I miss you; but no matter how much time goes by ... this apartment will always be _our_ home, just like Ame and Yuki will always be _our_ children."

The Wolf Man glanced down at the tub, considering how it was directly beside the sink. With every passing second, there was a piece of him that could've sworn that it was growing dirtier and dirtier. He might've been handling a lot, but just the thought of his mate had him feeling reassured that sooner or later, he was going to have everything—the chaotic apartment, the money issues, and so on—handled.

"Even when things get hard and messy ... I'll keep my promise to you and take care of whatever life throws at me. No matter what the cost is, I'll keep taking care of this apartment and our children for as long as I possibly can." Ookami promised, waiting another moment before he glanced up towards the ceiling again. "I love you, Hana ... I will _always_ love you."

Not long after he said that final sentence, the dark-haired man felt what was most definitely a single tear escaping from the corner of one of his eyes. He wiped it away, being careful as to not smear anymore flour across his face from his hands. Then, after letting out a soft breath, Ookami got right to work.

He retrieved the small, plastic tub of cleaning supplies from where it was sitting in its usual spot—on the floor beside the toilet. Then, after placing one of the large sponges and the container of spray in the sink so they would be easier to reach, the Wolf Man turned the bath's faucets, grabbed the retractable shower head, and started using it to wash away as much of the floury sludge as possible.

Eventually, after what felt like hours of moving the shower head from left to right, Ookami switched over to spritzing the spray all along every possible inch of the tub and using one of the sponges to scrub at the walls and floor. He had to use _plenty_ of elbow grease in order to get rid of the sticky clumps of wet flour, as well as the stray strands of Yuki's fur. He hadn't even bothered to clean the white powder away from his arms or feet yet, courtesy of how he knew that he was going to be needing to walk back into the kitchen to tidy it up after this. Nonetheless, instead of fixating on all of the other work that needed to be done, the dark-haired man stayed focused on the bath and continued to move the sponge around as vigorously as possible.

* * *

It had taken a whole thirty minutes for the Wolf Man to finish cleaning the tub and making it look as good as new. His arms had grown sore from all of the scrubbing, somehow managing to bring back memories on how the muscles in his shoulders and back had felt after almost all of his shifts as a mover. However, despite the discomfort that had started to build up in his biceps, there was still work that needed to be done.

Still shirtless and ignoring the mixture of paw prints and footprints that were on the floor, Ookami exited the bathroom. He let out a tired sigh, carrying the small tub of cleaning supplies with the lavender towel and his shirt draped over one shoulder, and Yuki's ruined dress tossed over his other shoulder. There were also a few strands of his hair that were poking out from his little ponytail by this point, showing how much more exhausted and disheveled he was becoming from working so hard.

"Okay, Ookami ... onto the kitchen." Ookami murmured to himself.

He rested his eyes shut for a moment, heading down the small hall with a slight kink in his neck. However, just as he walked past the wall that separated the main room of the apartment from the slim hallway, the dark-haired man opened his eyes and decided to take a peek in at Yuki and Ame. He wanted to make sure that the two of them were okay and behaving themselves ... but as soon as he saw what he did, he jerked himself to a startled halt.

"Gah!" Ookami gasped, eyes becoming larger than plates and jaw practically dropping all the way down to the floor. "You ... you _can't_ be serious...!"

The main room—which the Wolf Man had just so happened to have tidied up earlier that morning—was an absolute _wreck._ The entire room was _completely_ cluttered with trash—torn up magazines, crumpled tissues, recycled junk mail, and white clumps of stuffing that had come from one of the plump pillows. Not only that, but all of the chew toys had been spewed in every which direction, the books had been pulled out of the bookshelf, and the little table had even been flipped over. There were also a couple of fresh rips in the carpet and, to top everything off, there were hundreds of distinct _bite marks_ in the legs of the wooden table, the lower parts of the doorway's wooden frame, and even in some of the books.

Yuki was sitting in the direct center of the room, staring back at her father with her ear twitching and eyes glowing with innocence. Ame, on the other hand, looked much more concerned as he glanced back and forth from Ookami to Yuki. The two of them were still in their wolf forms, too.

"It ... it looks like a tornado ran through here...!" Ookami heaved, sounding much more caught off guard than anything. "Yuki...! Ame...! When...?! How did...?! Oh, good God...!"

Almost immediately after those words left the dark-haired man's mouth, his daughter let out a long yawn that he—even in that moment—couldn't deny was adorable. However, that didn't take away from the fact that he was going to have to straighten up the main room for the second time in one day. Plus, he still had to clean up all of the footprints, paw prints, and not to mention the whole flour debacle that was waiting in the kitchen. In that moment, Ookami knew that there was no way that he was going to be able to finish _all of this_ in time for dinner.

With a heavy exhale, the Wolf Man got down on one knee, sat the tub of cleaning products aside, and proceeded to pick up a couple of the ruined magazines that were lying nearby. After a couple of seconds, he found himself clenching his teeth and grimacing a little from the kink in his neck. He threw a couple of curse words around in his mind, using his unoccupied hand to rub at the sore spot.

"Are you okay, Daddy?" Yuki suddenly inquired.

Ookami lifted his head, seeing both of his wolf children staring at him ... and he forced himself to muster up the best, reassuring smile that he could. After all, he didn't want to risk scaring either of them.

"Yeah, Yuki. Daddy's fine." Ookami assured as positively as possible. "How about I order some takeout for dinner this evening?"

Just like that, Yuki's tail started wagging and her ears perked up to the point where they looked like they were going to touch. She jumped a dozen times per second, letting out excited barks. There was even something in Ame's eyes that almost appeared to sparkle at the word "takeout" ... and despite how he knew that there was still _plenty_ of work for him to get done, Ookami was just glad to see both of his children happy.

* * *

_"Dad had plenty of questions, but nobody to ask. So, he read whatever books he could find and figured it out as he went. He had to feed Ame his formula every two hours. If he was fussy and didn't want the bottle, he'd stick a cotton cloth in milk and let him gnaw on it for a bit." ~ Yuki_

* * *

**_Day #185_**

Being a single father to two children was difficult ... but being a single father to two children that had two opposing lifestyles combined into them was even _more_ difficult. There was sure as hell no doubt about that.

For as long as Ookami could remember, he had always been a loner. In fact, Hana had been the only one that he'd made exceptions for. Aside from her, he had spent a majority of his life all to himself. He had been raised as an only child and even after he moved in with his other relatives, he didn't exactly get along with them—at least, not to the point in which he was willing to spark up a conversation out of nowhere and attempt socializing with them when he wasn't necessarily required to.

So, the Wolf Man hadn't had many experiences with children while he was growing up—let alone any that he could somehow relate to. He had skimmed through a couple of parenting books with Hana when they were preparing for Yuki's arrival, but that had been a little over two years ago—which meant that he couldn't recall hardly any of the information that he had read. Plus, regardless of how he was also part wolf, that didn't change how Ookami hadn't been fortunate enough to encounter any wolf pups at any point in his entire life. This meant that he could only rely on his animal instincts to a strict limit ... and everything else that he needed to know in order to raise Yuki and Ame was provided through books.

Almost every single night, Ookami would study for at least four-to-six hours, immediately following the moment in which he'd managed to get both of his children to go to sleep. He would flip through hundreds of different encyclopedias that revolved around taking care of children and raising wolves, making sure to thoroughly read every last sentence that was provided—even if it was just the small print. Then, he would takes notes on whatever information he was unfamiliar with, wanting to make sure that he captured every possible piece of advice that could be helpful to him while bringing up Ame and Yuki.

Presently, it was a couple of minutes past one in the morning. Ookami was stationed in the main room of the apartment, sitting at a desk that was near the bookshelf in his olive-green sweatpants and the black tank top that he often slept in. He also had the pink, plaid, baggy pajama top that Hana used to wear draped over his shoulders, using it to help keep him warm since the temperature outside had been fluctuating again lately.

On the floor, directly beside the right side of his chair, the dark-haired man had a large stack of books that he had already finished reading throughout the past few weeks. The left side of his chair, on the other hand, was accompanied by _two more_ stacks of books—books that he hadn't gotten the chance to do so much as open to the first page yet. Both stacks were tall and unevenly balanced, one of them revolving strictly around proper care for wolves and the other centering around how to raise a child.

Then, there was what was on top of the desk. Sitting directly in front of the Wolf Man, he had two books that were titled _Child Care Encyclopedia_ and _Living with Wolves_ lying open. Beside them, there was a mug of coffee that had already lost its steam from how long he had been studying and an opened notebook that had almost every last one of its pages taken over by diligent notes. Ookami had even gone so far as to color code practically everything and not to mention keep the wolf information neatly separated from the human information. There were a variety of circles, stars, and underlines incorporated into the research, too. Finally, to top everything off, there was a _fourth_ stack of books that focused specifically on nature and single parenting placed on the right side of the table. Needless to say, the dark-haired man was busting his ass.

_"'The vulnerability of children at risk for unintentional injuries is influenced by age, cognitive development, motor skills, and the home environment.'"_

Ookami's lips moved along with the passage as he silently read it to himself, right before he began to write it down in his notebook. He also made sure to draw a couple of arrows that led to similar sentences that he had already jotted down, right before he let out a small groan and rubbed his eyes with a couple of his fingers.

"Dammit, Ookami ... you need to stay awake. Come on ... just one more hour of studying and..." Ookami was cut off by a long yawn, followed by him resting his head in his unoccupied hand and going back to dragging his sleepy eyes along the next paragraph. "And then you can go to bed..."

The Wolf Man's voice grew softer as he said that final sentence. At the same time, his eyelids managed to droop down halfway. Then, just a couple of seconds later, no matter how much the active portion of Ookami's brain tried to fight it, his eyes shut completely and he could feel his upper body starting to rock around in his wooden chair.

"Mmm..." An exhausted grumble crept up the dark-haired man's throat, his head starting to become heavier in his hand. "Maybe I can just ... rest my eyes for a second and—gah!"

Just as his head came seconds away from sliding off the heel of his hand, Ookami jerked himself back up and popped his eyes back open. He quickly shook his head like a wet puppy that was trying to dry off, as if that would somehow knock the sleepiness out of his system. Afterwards, he immediately picked up his mug of lukewarm coffee and didn't think twice before taking a sip of it. He made sure to swoosh it around in his mouth a couple of times, doing that to keep himself distracted. Then, he swallowed, sat the mug back down, and wrinkled his nose in disgust. He _hated_ it when his coffee was at room temperature, but it wasn't like he was going to let that get in the way of him continuing his study session.

"No, Ookami! No! Keep your eyes _opened!_" Ookami grumbled in a slightly more demanding tone, just as he rested his forehand in one hand, picked up _Living With Wolves_ with his other hand, and began skimming the page that he was on. "Remember why you're doing this...! Come on, look alive...! You're doing it for Ame and Yuki..."

There were still a couple of blurry clouds that were rimming his vision, but the dark-haired man blinked them away as best as he could and continued to read the passage that he was on in the second book.

_"'In the wild, wolves can live up to thirteen years or more. In a protected wolf park or a controlled area of land, a wolf can live to be up to sixteen-years-old. Although, most wolves usually live to be around eight years of age. Overall, the record life span for wolf is about twenty years of age.'"_ Ookami's eyelids started to grow heavy again, the blurriness returning to his vision as his attention on the words became lesser and lesser with every passing second. _"''Life in the wild is difficult for wolves, specifically due to the human population taking over their habitats and—'"_

The Wolf Man's body gradually fell forward in his seat, a weak exhale escaping from his system as he lost his grip on the book and dropped his head down on top of it. His eyes had fallen shut and now, he was fast asleep. He drew in one deep breath after another, snoring with the side of his face pressed up against his research. His shoulders rose and fell in a peaceful manner, still covered by Hana's unbuttoned pajama top ... but it literally took less than ten seconds before a noise ended up puncturing the air.

"U-UWAHHHHHHH!"

"Huh?!"

Ookami almost instantly shot back up in his seat, his vision flickering back and forth from blurry to clear as he popped his eyes open again. He looked like a deer that had been caught in headlights, needing a moment to realize that he had dozed off and had been startled awake by the sound of his son beginning to cry.

"Ame...? Oh, Ame!"

The Wolf Man jumped slightly in his chair, his heart taking a sharp pounce in his chest as the realization sat in that his second-born child was now filling the apartment with the sound of his tearful wails.

"I'm coming, son! Hold on, I'm coming!"

Ookami dropped his pencil and quickly scooted out from the desk, almost feeling like he was moving in slow motion from how fatigued he was. Unfortunately, when he stood up from his seat and turned to hurry in the direction of his son's crying, the dark-haired man ended up tripping over the stack of books that he had already finished flipping through.

"WHOA!"

_BANG!_

The tower of books tipped over and spewed in every which direction across the floor, just as the Wolf Man toppled down and greeted the ground with the right side of his body. He screwed his eyes shut and clenched his teeth in discomfort, feeling all of the air get knocked out of him.

"Ah, dammit...! That's sure as hell going to leave a mark...!"

"U-UWAHHHHHHH!"

If it hadn't been for Ame's crying causing his adrenaline to run and not to mention the fact that he was was still pretty tired, Ookami was positive that he more than likely would've felt more pain from his fall. Nonetheless, instead of remaining where he was on the floor, he scrambled back up onto his bare feet like he hadn't tripped in the first place, stepped over any fallen books that were in his way, and trotted in the direction of the bedroom. After all, there were some nights where Yuki and Ame preferred sleeping on their mother's old bed, rather than lying on their blankets on the floor in the apartment's main room.

As soon as the Wolf Man made it to the doorway that entered the room in which his mate used to sleep in, he didn't think twice before locking his attention on the bed. There, both of his children were lying, snuggled beneath the same blanket that Hana had used to cover herself up with in the past.

Yuki was still fast asleep, drawing in one soothing breath after another with some of her hair hanging in her face and a little bit of drool trickling down from one of the corners of her mouth. She had been a heavy sleeper since day one, so it made perfect sense as to why she hadn't been disturbed by any of the noises that were going on around her.

Ame, on the other hand, was waving his little arms around in a fussy manner. His little hands were curled up into tight fist and there were tears pouring down his face like Niagara Falls.

Ookami's eyes automatically filled with sympathy as he strode over to the bed.

"Oh, Ame. Shh ... it's okay, son ... Daddy's here ... I gotcha, I gotcha..."

While whispering those words, the dark-haired man slipped both of his hands underneath his son's small body and carefully lifted him up. After that, Ookami lined Ame up with his shoulder, using one hand to support his bottom and his other hand to begin gently rubbing his back. All the while, Ame grabbed fistfuls of his father's pajamas and continued to sob, showing no signs of stopping anytime soon.

* * *

_"Some nights, Ame would just cry and cry. All Dad could do was rub his back until he tired himself out. Even if it took all night..." ~ Yuki_

* * *

"Shhh ... everything's alright, Ame. You're okay ... shhh..."

The Wolf Man gently placed his cheek against his son's cheek, feeling the softness of Ame's hair and the wetness of his tears against his skin. At the same time, Ookami gently bounced Ame around and glided his fingertips in a bunch of random shapes all around his back, knowing that he couldn't do much more than that. After all, he could feel Ame's diaper through his onesie and it wasn't damp or lumpy. Plus, it was too early for his son to possibly want anymore of his formula. So ... the dark-haired man understood that this was more than likely going to be yet another night in which he stayed up and tried comforting his son by caressing his back.

Ookami let out a tired sigh, continuing to rub Ame's back as he took a gentle seat on the end of the bed that wasn't occupied by Yuki. He then scooted himself backwards so his back would line up with the wall, never ceasing his son's bouncing or rubbing.

"Don't worry, Ame ... Daddy's not going anywhere..." Ookami whispered, mustering up a reassuring smile as he dragged his fingertips back and forth across Ame's shoulder blades. "It's you and me, son ... shhh, it's okay ... I'm not going to leave your side tonight..."

His second-born child hiccuped, still shedding tears and letting out loud cries.

That night, the Wolf Man paid no mind to his own exhaustion and kept his word. He never left Ame, continuing to soothe him to the best of his abilities until the sun started to rise at the crack of dawn.

* * *

_"We didn't leave him any time to take care of himself..." ~ Yuki_

* * *

_**Day #193**_

Ookami couldn't remember the last time in which he had ever been this drained. He felt like a zombie, hair just barely tamed and dark circles surrounding his eyes. Not only that, but his limbs also felt as though there were tied to blocks of cement and a large portion of his brain felt like it was being overrun by static. He smacked his lips to help prevent himself from yawning, but was unable to hold back any shallow breaths or faint snores that managed to fall from his mouth. There was even a piece of his mind that could've sworn that his entire body was buzzing ... but that was just because the Wolf Man was currently stationed in front of the active washer.

For the past week, he had been woken up every night. If it wasn't because of Ame crying, it was because of Yuki shaking him out of his slumber and telling him that she was either hungry or that she needed him to help her in the bathroom. After all, the dark-haired man was in the process of potty training her. Unfortunately, this meant that all together, Ookami was taking care of his children and handling all of his daily tasks on what was probably no more than six or seven hours of sleep—at least one hour per night.

At the moment, it was fifteen minutes past noon. Ookami had already managed to feed Ame his latest bottle of formula, right before he'd prepared and served Yuki's lunch to her. He was moving slowly, yet efficiently. The look on his face made it perfectly clear that he was running on _very little_ energy and that it was a miracle that he hadn't just fallen unconscious yet.

Now, the Wolf Man had just gotten done dumping the dirty laundry in the washer. The top compartment was open, exposing how the water was swooshing around and spinning the clothes around. Ookami had one hand placed on the front of the large appliance, causing him to feel the vibrations as they tickled his fingers and surged through the rest of his body. Meanwhile, his other hand was holding the container of laundry detergent and Ame—who was now six-months-old—just so happened to be wide awake on his father's back, being supported by his harness.

The dark-haired man's body kept rocking, falling forward at a mild speed before being pulled back up by whatever part of his brain was still alert. He breathed quietly, small snores continuing to creep up his throat every so often.

"C ... come on, O ... Ookami... " Ookami grumbled to himself, eyes shut and body straightening itself up again. "Y ... you need to d ... do the l ... laundry and..."

Instead of finishing that sentence, the Wolf Man ended up letting out a much louder snore. At the same time, his upper body fell forward at a much quicker pace and it hadn't been for his one hand that was still pressed against the vibrating appliance, Ookami _definitely_ would've taken a dip in the water.

"W-wahhh!" Ame yelped, clearly startled.

"Huh?!"

Ookami didn't hesitate to jerk himself back up, just now realizing that he had almost fallen asleep right then and there. He squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them again, doing that a couple of times to help rid his vision of any grogginess that was still there. As he did this, he started to unscrew the lid from the laundry detergent and he felt a small tug at one of the straps to the harness. He glanced over his shoulder, only to see his six-month-old staring back at him in concern.

"There, there, Ame." Ookami said, putting on the brightest and most reassuring smile that he could. "Don't worry, Daddy's perfectly okay."

After that, the Wolf Man turned back around to face the washer. His grin never left his face as he finally removed the lid from the laundry detergent and was finally able to pour an appropriate amount into the washer. Then, just as he finished doing that and was proceeding to screw the cap back on the _Soft_ container...

"Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!"

Ookami quickly turned his head, his smile disappearing and automatically being replaced by a look of curiosity. He saw Yuki come bolting out of the apartment's main room, running as fast as her little legs could carry her. There was eagerness in her eyes and clumps of her lunch surrounding her mouth.

"What is it, Yuki?" Ookami inquired, watching as his daughter jetted right past him and into the small bathroom that was connected to the laundry area.

"Daddy, hurry!" Yuki called back, not necessarily answering her father's question. "I have to pee!"

Just like that, a burst of realization shot through Ookami's eyes. They grew, as if they had never been filled with drowsiness, and he didn't hesitate to say back, "Oh! Right! Coming, sweetheart!"

With that, the dark-haired man quickly closed the top compartment of the washer, sat the container of laundry detergent aside, and paced into the restroom to help his first-born child.

* * *

_"Whenever Ame and I gave him a moment's peace, he would nod off within seconds." ~ Yuki_

* * *

**_Day #197_**

Ookami had gotten up at eight A.M. to prepare breakfast, still utterly exhausted after another long night of studying and consoling his son. The dark circles that were surrounding his eyes were now accompanied by a couple of bags and his hair was slightly more disheveled than usual. His stretched-out shirt was also covered in a variety of pale orange and pastel green stains that hadn't washed out entirely yet. They were the result of Ame engaging in a couple of fussy fits after his father had attempted to feed him some new baby foods that he had found during his latest venture to the grocery store. Needless to say, instead of ending up in the six-month-old's mouth, they became splatters against the Wolf Man's white shirt.

Then, to make that day even _more_ complicated, Yuki had ended up trashing the main room of the apartment all over again. She had been fully engulfed in her imagination, attacking yet another one of the plump pillows—i.e. her "prey"—in her wolf form and sending thick clumps of white stuffing in every which direction. She had also scattered all of the chew toys around, going through every last one until the whole room looked like it had been ransacked. Of course, finding the mess was just as unpleasant as anyone would imagine; but the Wolf Man had simply been too drained to take the time to clean it all up again. So, for the time being,he decided to leave the apartment's main room in its disorganized state.

That was all three or four days ago; and over those three or four days, the dark-haired man _had_ cleaned up a majority of the main room. However, there were still clumps of stuffing and a variety of chew toys that he hadn't gotten to yet.

Now, Ookami was stationed in that very room of the apartment, sitting in a small, comfy, beige-colored armchair that was placed on one of the sides of the little wooden table. He was cradling Ame in his arms, the six-month-old being fast asleep since he had already been fed and burped. To his left, Yuki was sitting in her usual pink chair and scooping out one eager spoonful of porridge after another, shoving each one into her mouth with stray bits sticking to the areas that were all around her lips.

Once again, the Wolf Man was fighting as hard as he could to stay awake. His eyes were shut, his head was on a constant loop of drooping and rising, and he was drawing in one gentle breath after another.

Suddenly, just as she finished chewing and swallowing yet another one of her spoonfuls of porridge, Yuki redirected her gaze over to her dad and noticed what he was doing. She batted her lashes in confusion, obviously not understanding why his head kept falling and lifting in the manner that it was.

"Daddy?"

As soon as he heard his daughter's voice, Ookami snapped himself out of the hold that the exhaustion had on him and he lifted his head back up entirely. At the same time, he opened his eyes, redirected his attention over to Yuki, and offered her one of his calm, positive, charming grins.

"Yeah, pumpkin?"

Instead of saying anything back, Yuki broke out into a sweet smile and released a couple of amused giggles. Afterwards, she lowered her gaze back down to her bowl and proceeded to feed herself what was left of her porridge.

Ookami's smile remained right where it was, despite how drained he truly felt. He reached for one of the stray pieces of fluffy porridge that had fallen onto the table and picked it up, right before he placed it in his mouth. Then, as he chewed and continued to hold Ame in his one arm, he lied back against the back of the cozy armchair. _That's_ when he recalled that memory of him and Hana once more—the memory of him opening up about him wanting a place to call home.

_"Sit back in a comfy chair..."_

When those words came back to Ookami's mind, something in his eyes seemed to sparkle and his smile broadened to the point where he probably looked like a goofball. It exposed some of his teeth and he couldn't stop himself from letting out a couple of chuckles of pure delight.

"Daddy?" Yuki spoke up, once again looking over at her father with curiosity brewing in her eyes. "Why are you laughing?"

The Wolf Man glanced back at her ... and in that moment, he couldn't help but think about how much she truly _did_ look like Hana. That young woman really _had_ made his dreams come true, despite how her physical absence still made something in Ookami's heart feel like as though it was being clenched. She had _still_ given him a place to call home and two beautiful children that he loved more than words could possibly describe. Plus, even with her now being gone ... Hana was _still_ his godsend.

"Oh, it's nothing, Yuki." Ookami said, still wearing his gentle smile as he reached his unoccupied hand over to his daughter and proceeded to ruffle up her hair. "I'm just thinking about how grateful I am ... and it's all thanks to you, Ame, and your mother."

Yuki immediately broke out into a new fit of giggles, always loving it whenever her dad affectionately messed up her hair like that. Meanwhile, Ame continued to draw in one soothing breath after another, remaining fast asleep in the Wolf Man's opposite arm.

In that moment, regardless of how tired he was, Ookami was genuinely happy ... and for the first time in God knows how long, he _truly_ felt like he was doing a great job at raising his two wolf children.


	4. The Healer (Part 1)

**A/N: Greetings, my fantastic viewers! I hope that you are all having a great day/night ... and if you're not, just remember that everything will get better. Darkness is temporary. :)**

**First of all, I feel the need to share something with all of you. After posting the prior chapter of "Hana & Ookami: Roles Switched," I went from having _four_ favorites to having _thirty-two. _Of course, that means that I gained more followers as well ... and there are absolutely _no words_ that could _possibly_ describe just how much that means to me! Seriously, I'm _very _surprised by the amount of love that this story is _already _managing to get and I'm _very _excited to see how you all react when progress continues to get made! It just feels so _amazing _to know that I have _this many _admirers of "Hana & Ookami: Roles Switched" already. Thank you all _so, so _much. You're all awesome! :D :D**

**Secondly, I would like to apologize for how long this chapter has taken me to complete. However, it took _a lot _of mental preparation before I was _finally_ able to sit down and physically construct it. Not only that, but I'm in my third year of college and I've been busy with _plenty _of assignments and tests. So, I haven't had as much time as I would like to dedicate to my writing. With that being said, I hope that you all can understand why my chapters/one-shots take time to put together and why my updates are pretty random. I appreciate it very much. :)**

**NOTE: Speaking of this chapter ... I'm perfectly aware that in my previous update, I declared that the chapter would be called, "The Protector." Nevertheless, after juggling _so many _different responsibilities and finding out that I no longer have as much time as I would like to fully commit to my writing, I've decided to make some changes. **

**This chapter is called "The Healer," which I decided to split into two parts. I decided to split it into two parts because this chapter has managed to go over 20,000 words and by the time that I finished writing the last scene in _this _chapter, I realized that I still had about five or six scenes remaining**—**including the part of the actual movie where Yuki gets sick. Obviously, that would be _far too much_ to include in a single chapter**—**at least, _this _early on in the plot. Plus, with Christmas coming up in just a couple of weeks, I wanted to make sure that I updated before New Years. **

**In addition to that, the _next _chapter (not including part two of "The Healer") will surely be given the title, "The Protector." Again, this is because I know for a fact that with the amount of new scenes that I'm adding into the overall plot, the chapter would be _far too long_ for me to submit in a single post. "The Protector" will be coming up after this chapter (again, not including part two of it) because I don't want to risk making a chapter that's _too _lengthy. I also don't want to stress myself out over the thought of shoving so much into a single chapter, all the while juggling schoolwork, chores, family events, and so on. I appreciate you all for understanding, and I'm sure that you will all still enjoy this update. :D**

**NOTE #2: Even though the story follows the movie, keep in mind that my very own twists, turns, cliffhangers, and alterations won't start coming in until a little later. We're still in the beginning portion of the film and as of now, one of the new things that I have planned to take place won't come in until _after _Ookami, Yuki, and Ame move to the country. So, please remain patient when waiting to see what _major_ differences will be coming in the plot. I can ensure all of you … Ame and Yuki's futures _will_ be altered when being raised by Ookami instead of Hana****—****and in _multiple_ ways. You'll see what I mean as the story goes on! ;)**

**NOTE #3: I understand that it is commonly believed that Ookami was 28-30 at the time of his death in the original movie. However, here in my story, since that little detail was really never confirmed in some manner, I decided to make him _twenty-seven._ Hana's age, on the other hand, _hasn't_ changed from the actual movie. I just felt the need to make that clear … and math isn't my best subject, so pardon me for any little errors. I can assure you all, I'm doing my best. So, just to make it clear, Ookami is currently_ twenty-seven_ in this version of the movie**—**mainly because his actual age wasn't ever determined for us in the film. **

**In this chapter: When it comes to being the single father of two wolf children, Ookami—as much as he hates to admit it—still has _plenty_ of adapting to do. He's required to handle every single situation on his own ... and that includes the times where Ame and Yuki end up falling unexpectedly ill. (1/2)**

**Everyone, _please_ keep in mind that reviews make my day! I _always_ look forward to your feedback and I appreciate it greatly! So, don't hold back on sharing your thoughts in the reviews or you can PM them to me at anytime! Thanks again, everyone! Please review! :D :D**

**Anyway, I believe that I stated everything that I wanted to say. It's time for the fourth chapter of "Roles Switched," so I hope that you're all ready!**

**Happy reading, everybody! Enjoy! *Heart emojis***

* * *

**Wolf Children: Roles Switched Series (4) ~ The Healer (Part 1/2)**

* * *

_"Every night, after finishing his study sessions, Dad would try his hardest to get as much sleep as possible. Between me and Ame, it was practically hopeless to get a full night's rest ... but no matter how much sleep he got, Dad was grateful. All he cared about was being able to have the energy to get up the following day in order to take care of the two of us. It was a miracle that he was often able to do that on just a few hours of shut-eye. However ... there were still some nights where Dad would be haunted by the unpleasant parts of his past..." ~ Yuki_

* * *

**_Day #235_**

"Daddy! ... Daddy!"

Ookami's eyes shot open, nearly popping out of their sockets as he let out a sharp gasp. His body jerked upward ... and the first thing that he started to do was eagerly look around at his surroundings. He was in the main room of the apartment, being bathed in the silvery moonlight as it poured in from the large window. The air was filled with the scents of coffee and dry ink, despite how the Wolf Man could've sworn that he could still detect the scents of smoke, burning rubber, and blood. A cold sweat was completely drenching his body, making his black tank top and olive-colored sweatpants feel as though they were sticking to his skin.

The gruesome images from just seconds before continued to play in his brain, causing the dark-haired man to keep glancing around. It was more than evident that he was shaken, his eyes remaining five times larger than their normal size as they quickly scanned the area that was in front of him. He was stationed at the desk, surrounded by a few new stacks of books and all of his research. A pen was still in his hand, confirming the fact that he must've fallen asleep during his latest study session. A mug of coffee was placed beside the lamp, half drank and colder than ice by that time. There was also a blueberry muffin that had been half eaten, and crumbs just so happened to be scattered randomly across the pages of the latest book that Ookami had been flipping through—_Zoology 101: Nursing Wild Pups._

Ookami blinked repeatedly, trying to get rid of the few fuzzy clouds that were rimming his vision. As this happened, his heart continued to pound so hard and fast to the point where a piece of him could've sworn that he had a wild horse galloping in his chest. Not only that, but the Wolf Man's lungs were practically _screaming_ for oxygen, resulting in him nearly hyperventilating in that very moment.

"Oh ... oh my God..." Ookami murmured through his breathing, finally managing to get a hold of himself. "R-relax, Ookami ... it was just a dream..."

He sat the pen down on the desk with a huff, able to tell by the odd sensation in his fingers that he must've been holding it for at least a couple of hours. Then, he reached a hand up to his face and proceeded to rub his eyes, gritting his teeth a little while doing so. He couldn't help but almost wince from the discomfort that had built up in his lower back and shoulder blades, this more than likely being the result of him falling asleep in a hunched over position. Plus, it didn't help that Yuki had been _begging _him for piggyback rides and she had the habit of bouncing on him like a trampoline whenever he agreed to comply. So, it made perfect sense that his back had been aching lately.

Suddenly, as the dark-haired man wiped a couple of extra crumbs away from his lips and stubble, he felt what was most definitely somebody tugging at the leg of his sweatpants.

"Daddy?"

"Hmm...?"

Ookami stopped rubbing his face and glanced down, only to end up realizing that his two-year-old daughter was now wide awake. She was standing beside his chair, wearing her small, cute, salmon-colored dress with the long sleeves, and staring up at him with her large, innocent, almond-colored eyes. In one hand, she was still holding onto the fabric of her father's sweatpants; and in her other hand, she was holding the arm of her little, red and white, wolf-like doll. It was dangling at her side, showing that Yuki must've just recently woken up.

Despite how rattled he had been from the dream that he'd just experienced, the Wolf Man managed to muster up one of his soft, warm, charming smiles and offer it to his first-born child. Shortly after that, he straightened himself back up in his chair, reached his hands down towards Yuki, and lifted her up into the air. Then, he settled her down on his right knee and ran one of his strong hands along the top of Yuki's head in an affectionate manner. The entire time, Yuki's gaze never broke away from him. The look in her eyes made it more than obvious that there was something on her mind.

"Oh, Yuki..." Ookami said softly, just as he used his fingertips to push a stray piece of his daughter's hair out of her face and tuck it behind her ear. "It's too early for you to be awake, pumpkin. You should still be asleep. What are you doing up?"

"It's Ame, Daddy." Yuki replied, her voice drenched in a mixture of confusion and curiosity. "He's very warm."

When he heard his son's name leave his daughter's mouth, the dark-haired man's smile faltered a little and he found himself cocking an eyebrow. He had been expecting Yuki to tell him that she had woken up and found herself either wanting a snack or needing his assistance in the restroom—considering how those were usually the two main reasons behind why the two-year-old would get out of bed at such an hour in the first place. So, when Yuki had mentioned Ame instead of food or the potty, Ookami ended up getting caught in a moment of confusion.

"Your brother's warm?" Ookami repeated, sounding just as uncertain as he looked.

"_Very _warm." Yuki corrected as she held her wolf-like doll close to her chest and rested her chin on top of its head. "He's whimpering a lot, too."

As soon as those words reached his ears, the Wolf Man could've sworn that he felt the entire universe come to a halt. His eyes expanded once again, looking like they were on the verge of falling out of their sockets, and his entire body noticeably became tense in the chair. In that very moment, a hundred different questions started filling Ookami's brain at the speed of a tsunami.

How long had he been asleep? How long had Ame been whimpering? Had it been more than two hours since he last given his second-born child some formula? What did Yuki mean by Ame being warm? Was it what Ookami feared that it was? Was it possible that his daughter had just dreamed about her brother being in the condition that she had just described?

Those were just a few of the _many _questions that were in the process of overflowing the dark-haired man's mind. They rendered him speechless, leaving him to just stare at Yuki in a mixture of terror and alarm for what felt like an eternity.

Suddenly, just as Ookami was about to open his mouth to attempt speaking, he ended up getting cut off by a noise that he hadn't noticed until then. It was the sound of sniffles, accompanied by soft cries that were obviously trying to be louder—but were too weak to do so; and the dark-haired man knew that if he had been in his wolf form instead of his human form, his ears would've practically been touching from twitching so high upwards.

"Huh...?!" Ookami didn't think twice before snapping his head around, locking his gaze in the direction of Hana's old bedroom. "Oh, no...! Ame...!"

In less than a second, a series of events happened. Ookami shot up onto his feet, nearly tossing Yuki into the air from moving so fast. She let out a surprised yelp, but was immediately caught before she could go airborne. At the same time, as the Wolf Man settled her in his left arm, he spun around on his heels and grabbed the back of his chair with his right hand, saving it from collapsing to the floor with just a moment to spare. Then, after making sure to avoid coming in contact with the five, lopsided stacks of books that he had already finished flipping through, Ookami didn't think twice before beginning to hurry in the same direction as the faint whimpers.

Yuki looked up at her father, wearing an awfully confused expression. It looked very similar to the one that she would often wear whenever Ookami was trying to teach her and Ame the differences between their human forms and wolf forms.

The Wolf Man, on the other hand, had a look of pure worry on his face. There was even a small piece of him that could've sworn that he felt a few drops of nervous sweat beginning to form along his hairline. Not only that, but with every quick and wide step that he took, the Wolf Man couldn't ignore how it felt like he was moving at the speed of molasses. For all he knew, every passing second could've been vital; and in that moment, the only thing that was filling the dark-haired man's mind was his seven-month-old son's face.

"Ame...?!" Ookami proclaimed, something inside of him practically _begging _for his second-born child to say his first words. "Ame, I'm coming...!"

He jerked to a halt, making it to the doorway that separated Hana's old bedroom from the slim hallway that connected each of the rooms in the apartment ... and as soon as he peered in, the Wolf Man was convinced that he felt his heart drill all the way down into the pit of his stomach.

There Ame was, not looking _at all _like he had when Ookami had tucked him in. He was still wearing a pastel green onesie and lying beneath his small, blue blanket in the middle of the bed, but that's where the similarities stopped. Now, Ame was in his wolf form. His pale grey fur was accompanied by a reddish tint along his face, while his dull blue looked much drier than usually and was visibly runny. In addition to that, his front paws—i.e. his hands—were curled into weak fists and his pointy ears were folded back, making him look like a puppy that was ashamed of a potty accident that it just had on the carpet. Lastly, aside from the few drops of sweat that were visible in Ame's hair, his head was rolled to the side, his tongue was hanging out from his mouth, and he was drawing in one shallow breath after another.

Every few seconds, the seven-month-old's lips quivered and his whole body twitched in obvious discomfort. Whimpers continued to escape from his mouth, while tears prickled along the spaces where his eyelids met. Just by looking at Ame, it was more than evident that he had been crying for quite some time—at least half-an-hour, if the Wolf Man had to guess. Although, by this point, Ame had clearly become so weak to the point where he was no longer able to even _shed _the tears. Instead, they remained along the rims of his eyes and leaked down his lashes, unable to get any further than that. Needless to say, it was a heartbreaking sight.

Ookami gasped, automatically feeling his fear, alarm, and guilt take sharp increases inside of him. At the same time, he became fifty shades paler and his heart took such a rough jump in his chest to the point where the dark-haired man almost had a hard time believing that it hadn't managed to shoot all the way up to the moon.

"Oh, God! Ame!" Ookami exclaimed, almost sounding like the air had been knocked out of him.

He immediately sat Yuki down on the floor, right before he sprinted over to the bed and practically fell to his knees beside it. After that, Ookami didn't think twice before tossing aside Ame's blanket and slipping one of his strong hands underneath the seven-month-old's body. He then slid his opposite hand underneath his second-born child's head and proceeded to lift him up from the bed. The entire time, the Wolf Man moved quickly—yet carefully.

"Ame! Ame, Daddy's here!" Ookami proclaimed as his heart began to feel like it was being squeezed in the palm of somebody's hand. "It's okay, son! Daddy has you. Just open your eyes, okay? Open your eyes for me...!"

With every word that the dark-haired man spoke, the more hectic his thoughts became. His mind was racing at a speed that he had never even thought was possible, reminding him of information that he had studied about certain illnesses that infants were more prone to. At the moment, he was mostly dwelling on RSV—or Respiratory Syncytial Virus—since the weather in Japan was just starting to alter from the colder seasons. If Ame—who had _already _possessed an extra sensitive immune system ever since he was first born—ended up with a respiratory infection, then that would make him even _more_ vulnerable to the possibility of experiencing bronchiolitis, pneumonia, or even SIDS. Plus, RSV was _highly _contagious and that only meant that Yuki could end up falling ill as well.

The Wolf Man kept his gaze locked intently on his second-born child, unable to ignore how his own breathing was suddenly beginning to grow deeper and faster. Panic was beginning to electrocute through every last vein in his body, causing terrifying scenarios to begin popping up in his brain like weeds. In fact, they were _so_ horrifying to the point where Ookami could've sworn that his blood had become colder than ice right then and there. Every scenario somehow revolved around an outcome of Ame's current health, such as him choking on puke, being unable to breathe from some type of inflammation, or even going to sleep and _never_ waking up again.

"Ame...!? Ame, come on!" Ookami kept going, lying the seven-month-old back against his left arm and watching as his furry face twisted in anguish again. "I know that you can do it, buddy! Open your eyes and look at me! Look at Daddy!"

Ame squeezed his eyes shut a little tighter, forcing a couple of his tears to begin spilling down his rosy cheeks. At the same time, he wrinkled his snout and a small bubble of snot emerged from his right nostril. It popped no more than three seconds later, just as the seven-month-old's body shuddered once more. Then, not long after that, Ame's quivering lips fell into a devastating frown and he began to squirm around like a worm on a hook. It was as if he was trying to make himself more comfortable, holding a strong resemblance to somebody who would have pain in their bones after lying around for an extended period of time.

"Oh, Ame...! My baby...!"

Something shot through the Wolf Man's throat, but he couldn't tell what it was. It was either a sharp cry that he was doing his best to keep maintained, or a rough gulp that refused to go down smoothly. Either way, when it escaped Ookami's mouth, it was so strong to the point where it forced him to clench his eyes shut. It only lasted about two seconds; but when the dark-haired man opened his eyes again, there were tears of pure panic now prickled up in their corners.

Nevertheless, Ookami refused to give up.

"Come on, Ame! Come on! Open your eyes for me! Do it for Daddy!"

Using his unoccupied hand, the dark-haired man rolled his son onto his side and tucked his frail body safely between his chest and forearm. That way, the Wolf Man would be able to do two things. First, he would be able to feel his son's breathing patterns; and second, he would have the opportunity to make sure that there wasn't any vomit in Ame's airway. Fortunately, as soon as he turned his second-born child over and positioned him on his side, Ookami almost immediately made a mental note of how Ame wasn't gagging or coughing as a result of the sudden movement. Not only that, but there also wasn't any vomit that had poured out of his mouth. These signs were all that were needed to show that whatever it was that Ame was suffering from, it _wasn't _RSV or any other vital illness.

In that moment, the complete and utter terror that had been coursing through the Wolf Man's body vanished. There was still a slight heaviness in lowest part of his gut, but other than that, it really _did _feel like a billion weights had just been lifted off the dark-haired man's shoulders. Not only that, but the tension that had been filling practically every inch of the apartment had dissolved almost immediately, making the air feel a dozen times cleaner and not to mention easier to breathe in.

Ookami let out a noise that sounded like a blend of a relieved moan and a heavy exhale.

"O-oh my God...!"

He held Ame even closer to his chest, hugging him as tightly as he could without possibly causing him any additional discomfort. As he did this, Ookami hung his head and rested his forehead against his son's hair, not paying any mind to the perspiration that was beginning to stick to his own skin. Then, with one hand placed against the seven-month-old's bottom and the other hand supporting his head once again, the Wolf Man—who was still on his knees—started to rock himself back and forth like somebody would typically do in the fetal position. His heartbeat was finally starting to return to its natural pace, and he was now managing to draw in deeper breaths that were also at a much more reasonable speed.

Eventually, after staying in that position for what felt like years, Ookami finally agreed to lift his head back up. After that, he carefully rolled Ame back over onto his back and proceeded to bounce him at a mild speed, still focusing on both of their breathing patterns while he was at it. The Wolf Man wanted to make sure that he was helping his second-born child fight to stay awake. That way, he would be able to nurse him back to a healthier stage of his current condition properly. Although, at the same time, Ookami was making sure that he wasn't moving Ame around _too _fast. The last thing that the dark-haired man wanted was to cause his seven-month-old to need to projectile vomit after all.

"Everything's going to be okay, son! Daddy's here! Daddy's got you...!" Ookami promised, in which he started using the middle and index fingers on his right hand to begin tapping on Ame's warm, furry cheeks. "Just open your eyes for me, Ame...! Don't fall asleep just yet...! Come on...!"

The Wolf Man delivered four quick taps to both of his son's cheeks, maintaining that pattern as he switched back and forth between them. The entire time, he kept his eyes glued on the seven-month-old's face ... and after about five-to-ten seconds, Ookami ended up getting what he had been waiting for.

At last, Ame's eyes cracked open, allowing more tears to escape and trickle down the sides of his head like individual rivers. Then, not long after that, the blue-haired wolf pup managed to open his toffee-colored eyes entirely. They stared up at the Wolf Man, red-rimmed, slightly puffy, and filled with aching helplessness. As this happened, instead of letting out more faint whimpers like he had been doing before, Ame opened his mouth and began to release small cries that sounded _very _similar to the wails that he would make on the nights in which he would end up sobbing for hours. Except, these cries weren't anywhere near as loud.

Ookami released a deep breath that he hadn't even realized that he had been holding in, feeling the relief inside of him expand almost instantly. Despite how much he _hated _seeing his son in the unhealthy condition that he was currently in, the Wolf Man had to admit that the sounds of Ame's delicate sobs were like music to his ears in that moment. After all, the fact that he was crying meant that he was also breathing.

"That's it, son ... that's it..." Ookami encouraged, beginning to lower his voice into a murmur. "Go ahead and let it out..."

The Wolf Man then rested his eyes shut, still feeling the wetness of tears curled up in their corners from his prior panic. At the same time, he lowered his head again and placed his forehead against the forehead of his second-born child. Upon doing that, it came to Ookami's realization almost immediately that Yuki had been right. Ame _was_ warm—so warm, in fact, his fur felt like it was seconds away from bursting into flames.

"Okay, calm down … the fact that he's crying means that he's breathing..." Ookami whispered, now in the process of trying to provide _himself_ with some comfort as he continued to draw in one deep, slow breath after another. "Oh, thank God … our baby boy is breathing, Hana..."

* * *

_"Years later, when he spoke of that night … Dad said that he could've sworn that the entire world around him had stopped. Since I was so young at the time, I hadn't realized just how rattled he was by the whole situation. He hadn't confessed it back then, but with every second that ticked by on that night … he remained petrified at the thought of losing Ame. Yet, in order to prevent him from getting any worse and me from also getting scared, Dad did what he had to do. That night, he was determined to be Ame's healer … no matter what the cost was." ~ Yuki_

* * *

As the seconds rolled by, Ame's cries gradually got louder and he was starting to throw his front paws—which were still curled into weak fists—around in the air. It was like he was beginning to engage in one of his fussy fits, pleading with his father to make the pain that he was feeling go away.

"U-U-UWAHHHHHH! W-WAHHHH!"

A small bolt of shock shot through Ookami's chest, making him jerk his head back up and stare down at his son with wider eyes. As much as he was _overjoyed_ and _relieved_ that Ame was breathing, the dark-haired man couldn't help but begin to grow nervous. After all, not only was this his first time _ever_ needing to handle a sick child on his own, but he was perfectly aware of how deafening the seven-month-old's squeals could get and the _last _thing that the Wolf Man needed—as well as _wanted_—at this time was to disturb any of the neighbors.

"Oh, Ame...! Shhh ... shhh..." Ookami did his best to soothe his second-born child, lightly bouncing him in his arms. "You're going to be okay, son ... Daddy's going to take care of you..."

Suddenly, Yuki spoke up. "Daddy...?"

In less than a second, the Wolf Man snapped his head over in the direction of the bedroom's entrance. He saw his daughter still standing there, staring back at him with sad eyes and a worried pout. She was holding her wolf-like doll even closer to her chest, making it hard to tell whether the two-year-old was trying to cradle it or herself.

"What's going to happen to Ame?" Yuki inquired, sounding just as delicate and nervous as she looked. "Is he going to be okay?"

The corners of Ookami's lips twitched, threatening to fall into a frown. He could feel his heart swelling with remorse, the realization striking him upside the head like a brick that Yuki had been watching him this entire time. Surely, witnessing him panic like that while attending to her little brother _would_ cause the two-year-old to become anxious—especially since the Wolf Man was usually a calm, quiet, and wise individual.

For a moment, all Ookami did was stare at his first-born child. The look in his dark blue eyes made it perfectly clear that he felt guilty for making Yuki feel afraid; but after no more than three-to-five seconds, the Wolf Man snapped himself out of his trance-like state by shaking his head quickly. Then, when he stopped, he put on the most reassuring smile that he possibly could in a time like that.

"Your brother is going to be just fine, Yuki." Ookami promised, making sure that his daughter could hear his words over his son's tearful wails. "He's just running a fever. There's nothing to be scared of, okay?"

Yuki hesitated, almost being too distracted by Ame's sobbing to say anything back. Nonetheless, after a moment, she softly nodded her head and replied with a faint, "Okay, Daddy..."

"That's my girl. Mommy would be _very_ proud of your bravery."

Unfortunately, just as Ookami reached the end of that sentence, he ended up feeling a sharp jolt of surprise electrocute through his body. His encouraging grin was chased away, only to be replaced by him gritting his teeth in a mixture of discomfort and worry. At the same time, the Wolf Man screwed his eyes shut and raised his shoulders so much to the point where they almost touched his ears. Ame had just finished letting out an ear-splitting scream, which was immediately followed by more heartbreaking sobs that were _definitely _starting to increase even more in volume.

"U-U-UWAHHHHH! W-WAHHHHH! UWAHHH!"

Ookami opened his eyes again, revealing that they were—once again—shimmering with concern. He then lowered his attention back down to his second-born child, biting down on his bottom lip and dragging it between his teeth in a somewhat anxious manner. Meanwhile, on the inside, the Wolf Man was scrambling to gather as many different parts of his brain as possible, trying his best to neatly recall information that he had studied in various encyclopedias about how to handle an ill infant. However, courtesy of how he was running on just a couple of hours of sleep, the hundreds of different steps and pieces of advice were being snatched and pulled back to the front of the dark-haired man's mind in a jumbled mess.

The Wolf Man sighed, trying his best to remain calm and to not let any nervousness or discouragement get to him. As he did this, he carefully lifted Ame into an upright position and rested his fragile body against his shoulder, trying not to cringe again from how his eardrums felt like they were being pierced by the seven-month-old's distressed shrieks. All the while, Ookami supported his son's bottom with one hand, used his other hand to massage his back, and continued to gently bounce him.

"Shhh ... everything's going to be alright, Ame..." Ookami said softly, speaking those words close to one of Ame's wolf ears. "Shhh ... you're safe with Daddy..."

With that, the dark-haired man carefully rose back up onto his feet. Then, while tracing his fingers back and forth between his son's shoulder blades, Ookami walked out of the bedroom at a quick pace. Yuki didn't hesitate to follow, scampering down the small hallway and listening to the mixed sounds of her father shushing and her little brother continuing to wail like a banshee. Even for such a small infant, Ame had a pair of lungs that made the Wolf Man swear that when he screamed, his sobs could be heard from people on the other side of the planet.

Internally, Ookami was trying his best to organize the swarm of information that he remembered from the numerous study sessions that specifically revolved around childhood sicknesses and treatments. Meanwhile, he had stopped tracing random shapes along the area of Ame's back that was between his shoulder blades and decided to try moving his hand further up. Now, the Wolf Man was caressing the back of his second-born child's head, feeling his fingers—yet again—being greeted by drops of perspiration as he dragged them through Ame's hair.

"Damn, he's sweating like crazy...! I need to handle this—and _fast._" Ookami told himself under his breath, unable to shake off the fact that he still felt fairly overwhelmed by the overall predicament. "What time even is it right now...?"

Upon muttering that question, the dark-haired man had emerged from the small hallway and just rounded the corner that separated the main room of the apartment from the kitchen. Almost immediately after he entered, he found himself freezing in his tracks and his eyes ended up growing to be the size of plates. His jaw felt like it was suddenly heavier than a block of cement, threatening to drop all the way down to the floor. All of this was the result Ookami's attention automatically going to the small clock that was hanging on the wall beside the little refrigerator. It was officially 2:20 in the morning ... and even after going through a _long_ study session that was followed by an unpleasant dream, the Wolf Man could still remember specifically feeding Ame his last bottle of formula around 9:15 the previous evening.

"Gah!" Ookami let out a small cry of shock that sounded like it was intertwined with a gasp, regardless of how it more than likely wasn't able to be heard over the sound of his son bawling. "Oh, you've _got_ to be kidding me...! Not _now...!_"

It had been a little over _five hours _since the seven-month-old had last been fed ... and one of Ookami's _many _responsibilities was to make sure that he gave Ame his formula every _two_ _hours._ Granted, with every month that went by, the blue-haired wolf pup seemed to grow less dependent on such a strict feeding schedule and this gave his father the opportunity to stretch the time gaps between every bottle of formula. Nonetheless, judging by his current condition, Ame _definitely_ needed his nourishment—and Ookami knew this.

The dark-haired man sighed heavily, feeling like he deserved to get punched in the face for failing to feed his son on time. He threw a couple of curse words around in his brain, just as he _conveniently_ recalled how one of the most important steps in taking care of a sick child was to make sure that the child stayed hydrated—especially if he or she was sweating a lot. However, preparing a bottle usually took the Wolf Man about two-to-five minutes. That might've not seemed like a long time, but it _was_ when a wailing seven-month-old was involved ... and it didn't help that they just so happened to live in an apartment building that carried even the smallest noises for miles. So, before he could prepare some formula, Ookami understood that he was going to have to calm Ame down and make sure that he took control of the situation by following other instructions that he had obtained from his nightly study sessions.

"Ugh ... come on, Ookami. Get it together...! You can do this...!" Ookami grumbled in a tone that was determined, yet demanding. "You're going to need to begin with taking his temperature. Surely, you can do _that _right..."

With that, the Wolf Man walked over to the drawer that he knew contained the First Aid kit and withdrew his one hand from the back of his son's head in order to pull it open. As this happened, Ame's sobbing began to get interrupted by him needing to stop to catch his breath between every few shrieks. He hiccupped, tears still flowing down his face like Niagara Falls as he held onto his father's black tank top like his life depended on it. In fact, Ame's paws were gripping the fabric so tightly to the point where it was a miracle that his short—yet surprisingly sharp—claws weren't managing to tear right through it.

"Shhh ... it's okay, son. It's okay..." Ookami soothed, once again proceeding to gently bounce his son as he used his opposite hand to undo the latch on the First Aid kit. "I have everything under control. Daddy's going to take care of _everything._"

Ame sniffled, sounding horribly congested. Then, as he continued to work on refilling his lungs with oxygen, it was obvious by how hard he was heaving that his chest must've ached. Yet, the seven-month-old still went on to let out more helpless cries. Although, as upsetting as it was to know that Ame was running a fever and was noticeably suffering, it was still at least a tiny bit relieving for Ookami to know that his second-born child's weeping—despite still being at a mild octave—were no longer able to travel as far through the apartment building as they more than likely had when he was screaming.

At last, while continuing to softly shush his son, the dark-haired man opened the First Aid kit. It contained all of the usual items: examination gloves, Band-Aids, gauze, sterilization wipes, a pair of tweezers, a couple of small bottles of hand sanitizer, and finally, just what Ookami had been searching for—a thermometer.

"Ah, there it is." Ookami noted as he retrieved the thermometer, along with one of the miniature containers of hand sanitizer and a small packet that contained a sterilization wipe. "Just what I need."

Suddenly, Yuki spoke up again. "Daddy, what are you doing?"

The Wolf Man turned back around, his gaze automatically falling on his first-born child. She was standing in the entrance of the kitchen and staring back at him with a look of pure curiosity masking her face. As soon as his eyes landed on her, Ookami made sure to muster up the kindest and most promising smile that he could—as if the whole situation with Ame's health no longer existed. After all, the last thing that he wanted to do was make his daughter feel scared for her little brother again. So, even though the Wolf Man still felt _highly_ overwhelmed, he was making sure—for Yuki's sake—that he carried out Ame's treatment as calmly as possible.

"First thing's first, Yuki." Ookami declared. "I'm going to take your brother's temperature so I can—"

Just then, before he could finish giving his response, the dark-haired man was cut off by the sound of his son beginning to let out a couple of dry coughs. As this happened, Ame's grip tightened a little more on his father's tank top and Ookami's reassuring grin automatically wavered in concern. He dropped his attention back down to the seven-month-old, his heart swelling with sympathy ... and in that moment, the Wolf Man realized that he could almost feel Ame's short claws digging into the fabric that guarded his shoulder. It turns out, it had practically slipped Ookami's mind that his son was still in his wolf form—mainly because he had been caught up in trying to organize a plan on _how _he was going to handle Ame's illness.

"Oh, shi—!" Ookami caught what he was about to say and cringed, quickly backtracking before the curse word could fly out. "_Shi—oot...!_"

"Huh?" Yuki tilted her head a little to the side, her curiosity noticeably kicking up a few more notches. "What is it, Daddy?"

"Um..."

The dark-haired man cut a glance over in his daughter's direction, the look in his eyes making it more than evident that he was trying to figure out a way to handle this new obstacle. Then, as Ame released another dry cough that was almost immediately followed by yet another small cry, the Wolf Man dropped his attention back down to him. He used his knuckles to delicately tap on the seven-month-old's back, his fingers still secured around the three items that he had retrieved from the First Aid kit.

"Well, princess, I'm afraid that I can't take Ame's temperature while he's in his wolf form." Ookami pointed out, hoping that his first-born child wouldn't pick up on the sprinkle of discouragement that had managed to slip into his voice.

"How come?" Yuki inquired.

"Huh? ... Oh!" Ookami had been so caught up in trying to figure out how to solve this latest problem to the point where he had nearly tuned Yuki out on accident. "Because humans and wolves have _entirely_ different body temperatures. Fur absorbs more heat than skin does ... and in order to get your brother's temperature accurately, I'm going to need him to be in his human form."

The auburn-haired wolf child batted her lashes, now seeming to be confused.

"What's 'ack-u-rate-ly' mean?"

The Wolf Man exhaled softly. "We'll come back to that at some other time, sweetheart. Right now, I need to tend to Ame."

Yuki didn't try to protest, nor did it seem like she wanted to in the first place. It appeared that she understood that her little brother was the one who needed more attention at that time.

"_Ohh ... come on, Ookami! Think!_" Ookami barked at himself in his mind, feeling a whole new load of weights starting to press down on his shoulders. "_You **need **to get Ame to transform back into a human so you can take his temperature and proceed with treatment before his fever gets any worse! Come on, you study every night for a reason! **Think!**_"

The dark-haired man squeezed his eyes shut, trying to juggle his hectic thoughts and dig through them for a solution. Unfortunately, as this happened, the seven-month-old started to release a whole new set of cries. They filled the kitchen at a mild volume, combined with even more congested sniffles, defenseless whimpers, aching inhales, and dry coughs. In that moment, the Wolf Man could've sworn that he felt the same sensation in his chest as he did not that long before—the sensation that perfectly resembled his heart getting squeezed in the palm of somebody's hand. He felt even _more _overwhelmed—if that was even possible.

"_Ame..._" Ookami groaned, sounding stressed, tired, and discouraged all in one. "_P__lease _don't cry again, son. Shhh ... Daddy's trying his absolute best right now. Shhh ... I promise, you're going to be alright..."

The Wolf Man went back to lightly bouncing his second-born child, still trying to figure out how he was supposed to get to the bottom of this overall situation. At the same time, he continued to drag his knuckles around in a bunch of small, circular patterns, using them to gently scratch and massage Ame's back. All the while, the dark-haired man could still feel his daughter's eyes on him, observing his every move.

"_Dammit...! What am I going to do now...?!_" Ookami inquired, the tone of his voice sounding anxious even in his own head. "_Oh, Hana … **how** am I supposed to handle this without you? Whenever Yuki felt the slightest bit unwell, you **always** knew what to do … but this is my first time **ever **taking care of a sick child. **How **am I going to tend to our son?_"

* * *

_"Even though I was only two, I **still **can't believe that I had failed to notice just how overwhelmed Dad was on that night. Most parents would've been able to just give their child medicine and put them straight back to bed … but for me and Ame, normal medicine wasn't an option. For obvious reasons, it would've done more harm to us than good … and it wasn't like Dad had the choice to take us to see a doctor either. This was his first time **ever** needing to handle one of us being sick on his own … and he had nobody but himself to turn to. He was a terrified, single parent that knew very little about First-Aid … but **not once** did he **ever** feel the discouraging urge to give up. If anything, that night just molded his driven personality even more..." ~ Yuki_

* * *

With Ame's sobs still ricocheting off the walls of the small kitchen, the dark-haired man let out a sigh and opened his eyes again. Then, as he continued to gently bounce his second-born child around, something suddenly grabbed Ookami's attention from the corner of his eye. He turned his head over in the direction of the table … and that's when he saw a single basket that was filled to the rim with fresh laundry.

The prior day, when the clock was about fifteen minutes away from striking noon, the Wolf Man had just finished emptying the most recent load of clothes from the dryer. He had already finished giving Ame his latest bottle of formula, which meant that the seven-month-old was already on his father's back, being supported by the dark blue harness. However, just as Ookami had retrieved the iron from the shelf that was above the washer and dryer, Yuki had ran into the laundry area and began to bellow about how she wanted her lunch. She even went as far as throwing herself down to the floor and engaging in one of her tantrums, kicking her legs and madly slapping her front paws against the tiles—courtesy of how her wolf form had practically exploded out of her. Then, as the dark-haired man tried his best to take control of the situation with his daughter, it suddenly came to his attention that he had forgotten to burp his son. Unfortunately, within seconds after realizing that, Ame had ended up hiccupping and spitting up all over his father's shoulder … and in that moment, with all that was going on with his two children, the Wolf Man knew that the ironing was going to have to wait.

With that, Ookami had left the basket of laundry on the table in the kitchen in order to whip up Yuki's lunch and clean up Ame's mess. That was the reason why the basket was _still_ there … and as soon as his eyes landed on it, Ookami's spiraling thoughts seemed to come to a complete halt. At the same time, particular information that he had obtained from all of his studying began to stick out more clearly in his brain—as if the thoughts were becoming highlighted to match specific parts of his notes.

"Ah-ha...!" Ookami murmured as his eyes grew a little, showing that he had just come up with an idea. "That's it...! Oh, Hana, thank you...!"

The dark-haired man stopped caressing his second-born child's back, but continued to shush him as soothingly as possible. As he did this, he approached the table and sat aside the thermometer, the miniature bottle of hand sanitizer, and the small packet that contained a single sterilization wipe. Meanwhile, Yuki continued to watch and Ame's loud cries had been cut off by a soft, confused noise. It sounded like a noise that a newborn pup would make while trying to figure out where its milk supply was, combined with something that sounded like a faint, "Heh?"

"Daddy? What are you doing now?" Yuki asked, her voice now lined with even more curiosity.

"I'm going to try making your brother feel more comfortable, Yuki. By doing that, maybe we'll have the greater chance of him turning back into a human."

While explaining, Ookami had started to pull out the different articles of laundry from the basket and stack them as neatly as possible on the table. Although, since he was eager to get his second-born child to transform back into his human form so he could take care of him properly, a majority of the rags, clothes, and other garments were disorganized and barely balanced at all.

As this happened, Yuki ended up making the climb up onto the chair that was positioned at the opposite side of the table. Before doing this, she lifted her wolf-like doll up to her mouth and bit down on the back of its head, carrying it in a manner that made it seem like she was trying to copy how a wolf would truly carry its baby. After that, the two-year-old grabbed the edge of the chair and, with a small hop, hoisted herself up with surprisingly little difficulty. Then, upon standing up on the chair, she placed her hands against the table, leaned forward as much as she could, and dropped her wolf-like doll onto the table—as if she was a pup that was bringing back fresh prey from a hunt. All the while, her inquisitive gaze never broke away from what her dad was doing.

"Ohh-kay..." Ookami exhaled, just as he finished placing yet another piece of laundry on top of one of the uneven stacks. "There we go. Now, let's try this..."

The Wolf Man quietly drew in a deep, slow breath through his nose and held it in for no more than three seconds, simply doing this to help himself remain calm. Then, as he released it just as softly through his mouth, Ookami gently cuffed his unoccupied hand around the back of Ame's head and carefully shifted him out of his upright position. His other hand also remained across the seven-month-old's bottom, which meant that Ame's fragile body was being completely supported.

"Here we go, buddy..." Ookami whispered, keeping his movements steady.

Ame whimpered and continued to let out small cries every few seconds. His toffee-colored eyes stayed glued on his father, still red-rimmed, overflowing with tears, and expressing confusion, innocence, and helplessness all in one.

"Shh, shh, shh … you're okay, son … you're okay..."

The dark-haired man kept his words soft and reassuring, despite how there was still a big chunk inside of him that was nervous and desperate to take control of his son's illness as soon as possible.

A thick, fuzzy, white towel had purposely been left at the bottom of the basket. It was neatly folded and incredibly soft, which meant that it would make the _perfect_ spot for Ame to lie down while being examined. Plus, being inside the basket would be similar to being inside a bassinet—or so Ookami imagined, considering how he and Hana had never been able to purchase a bassinet or crib for either of their children. Luckily, regardless of how the basket was nothing more than just a laundry basket, the Wolf Man knew that by using it, he wouldn't need to worry about his second-born child possibly rolling around and getting hurt even more. It was better than nothing.

"Shh … that's it..." Ookami said softly, in which he finished lowering Ame into the basket and placing him on top of the clean, plush towel. "Daddy's got this under control..."

Yuki batted her lashes in wonder, shifting her head from left to right in an attempt to peer around some of the laundry stacks. As she did this, she stood on her tiptoes and lifted one of her legs behind the rest of her body, making it even more obvious that she was trying to see everything better.

"Are you going to take Ame to the dryer, Daddy?" Yuki asked, sounding just as innocent as she looked.

The Wolf Man let out a faint laugh, feeling a trickle of amusement run through his body as he gently dragged his hands out from underneath his son's head and butt. The humor might've not lasted long, but that didn't make it any less refreshing.

"Of course not, Yuki. Ame _isn't_ going to the dryer. He's _not_ laundry."

The two-year-old tilted her head again, this time to the opposite side, and the confusion in her eyes automatically increased.

"Then why are you putting him in the basket?"

"Because Daddy wants to take care of your brother as much as possible right here in the kitchen. That's why I did my best to make the basket into a bed for him." Ookami explained, right before he peeked up, locked his attention on his daughter, and just realized what she was doing. "Now, put your leg down and quit standing on your tiptoes like that! I don't want you to risk losing your balance and falling off the chair on accident."

Yuki didn't hesitate to obey her father, this being one of those rare moments in which she didn't become stubborn and bother trying to take a stand against an order. Instead, while maintaining eye contact with the dark-haired man, the auburn-haired wolf child simply lowered the leg that had been lifted behind her and dropped herself down from her tiptoes. Although, she continued to stand on the chair with her hands placed against the table.

The Wolf Man gave a soft nod of approval. "That's better. Good girl."

Yuki blinked, the curiosity in her eyes never faltering. "What's going to happen now?"

"Well..." Ookami dragged that single word out for a couple seconds, right before he let out a soft sigh. "Like I said before, I'm going to need Ame to switch back over to his human form. So … I'm going to have him do just that."

"How?"

As soon as he heard that question leave his daughter's mouth, the corners of Ookami's lips twitched and threatened to fall into a discouraged frown. At the same time, his shoulders sunk and he found himself beginning to rub the back of his neck in heavy thought. As much as the Wolf Man hated to admit it, he was back to square one … and it wasn't like he had gotten very far to begin with. That only made the overall predicament even _more _complex and worrying, needless to say.

"That's a good question, Yuki … a _very _good question..."

Ookami lowered his gaze back down to the basket, where he saw Ame lying back against the plush towel and _still_ looking back at him. Just as he suspected, the seven-month-old was _still _in the form of a wolf pup. His right ear was pointed upward, twitching faintly from obvious confusion, while his left ear was still bent downward. Not only that, but Ame's dull blue nose was still dripping with snot, the pale gray sections of his fur around his face were still covered with a bright shade of red, and his innocent eyes were still puffy and prickled with tears.

Ame continued to let out small, vulnerable cries and fragile babbles, as if he was trying to beg his father to do something in order to make his illness go away. His front paws were still curled into pained fists, moving around in a weak and mildly fussy manner.

The Wolf Man lifted a hand up to his mouth, touching his lips with the tips of his fingers as he continued to try as hard as he possibly could to quickly rummage through his hundreds of thoughts. Then, after a couple of seconds, Ookami let out another sigh and proceeded to lower the same hand down into the basket. He gently placed it down on his son's somewhat pudgy belly, right before he began to rub it as soothingly as possible. His hand was so much larger to the point where it nearly covered Ame's entire stomach.

"Okay, buddy … Daddy is going to need you to do something that's _very _important..." Ookami whispered, keeping his gaze locked on his seven-month-old as he moved his hand around in slow, circular motions. "There are no words that can _possibly_ describe just how much I want to make your sickness go away, Ame … but Daddy can't do that without taking your temperature and knowing just how bad your fever is. So, Daddy _really_ needs you to turn back into a human..."

It was obvious that Ame was listening to every word that was leaving his father's mouth … but that didn't change the fact that all he did in return was gape. He bat his wet eyelashes, causing a few more tears to trickle down the sides of his head, and he continued to let out more small noises. All the while, he kept looking up at his dad.

"Come on, son … I _know_ that you can do it..." Ookami went on, still whispering and hoping that there weren't any sprinkles of discouragement in his voice. "Remember how Daddy showed you and your sister how to do it? … _Please _remember, Ame. I can't do _anything _to help you feel better until I get your temperature as a human..."

At the word "anything," Ame's bottom lip started to quiver … and it didn't take long before he started to let out a whole new string of faint cries, congested snivels, and defenseless whimpers. As a result of this, the Wolf Man's eyes grew for a moment in panic. Then, with a couple of quick and soft shushes, he started to rub his son's belly at a slightly faster pace. Luckily, by doing that, Ame's small sobs and helpless whines faded to a stop almost immediately. Although, he _did_ continue to sniffle.

"Shh, shh, shh … it's okay, Ame … we're going to figure this out..." Ookami promised.

A couple of seconds later, while he continued to rub the seven-month-old's stomach, the dark-haired man hung his head and let out a dejected huff.

"_Did you **seriously **think that he would understand **anything **that you just said, Ookami? For crying out loud, he's **seven months! **I swear, you are such an idiot..._" Ookami mentally grumbled, in which he took a moment to squeeze his eyes shut and try even _harder_ to piece together a plan on how he was going to handle all of this. "_Come on, you've already wasted too much time! **You're **the parent and **they're **the children. It's your **job **to take care of them, Ookami. You've **got **to get a firmer hold on this_ _situation. Ugh … if Hana were still here, I bet that she would've already been able to solve this whole thing..._"

Once again, at the thought of his departed true love, the corners of the Wolf Man's mouth quivered and began to lower against his will, forming a small pout. The pretty smile, sparkly eyes, upbeat laugh, and optimistic personality that Ookami loved so much filled his brain, reminding him for the millionth time of the dream that he had on the same day in which Hana had perished. He still remembered the endless stretches of warm and beautiful fields, accompanied by the lukewarm breeze and the sweet smells of roses, lilacs, bluebells, and honeysuckle. He could also still remember his mate appearing to him, wearing a lovely grin, a tiara of brightly colored cosmoses, and the same pastel blue dress that she had worn on the day where the Wolf Man had came to the realization that he really _had_ fallen in love with her. Even after all of these months, Ookami could still perfectly recall _every last detail _of that dream like it was yesterday … and it made him miss Hana even more.

"Oh, Hana..." Ookami murmured under his breath, still moving his hand around in circular motions over Ame's belly. "I wish that you were still here. I have no doubt that you would know _exactly _what to do in a time like this..."

Suddenly, a couple of seconds after those words left the dark-haired man's mouth, the sound of his daughter's voice spoke up again.

"Daddy?"

Without any hesitation, Ookami broke out of the hold that the blend of positive and negative memories had on him. He didn't think twice before opening his eyes again and lifting his head back up, redirecting his attention back over to Yuki. Once he did that, he saw that she was _still_ observing his every move. Although, she was now wearing an expression that made her seem like a confused puppy that was trying to understand a new trick.

"Yes, pumpkin?"

Yuki blinked innocently. "Are you okay?"

As soon as that question left his first-born child's mouth, the Wolf Man thought back to the two promises that he had made to Hana. First, he promised on the day of Yuki's birth that if anything were to happen to his mate, he would keep moving forward in his life. The second promise, on the other hand, was made on the day in which Hana's life was tragically taken away. He had promised to take care of both of their children—to raise them to the best of his abilities and to let them be his reason to keep smiling, no matter how hard life could get.

_"This is just a goodbye. Until the time comes for us to reunite, let **them **be your reason to smile. Take good care of our children."_

Those words came back to Ookami's mind, carrying Hana's sweet and reassuring voice with them … and despite how he was still rightfully nervous about Ame's current health, the dark-haired man was able to muster up a small grin—just like he had after he had first placed Hana's student ID on the windowsill a couple of months back.

"Yes, I'm alright, Yuki." Ookami replied at last, softly nodding his head. "I'm just trying to come up with a way to get your brother to—"

In that moment, the Wolf Man had started to linger his gaze around the kitchen. Whether he was trying to locate something or just glance around in an attempt to help his swarming thoughts settle faster, he had no idea. Nevertheless, before Ookami could even manage to finish his prior sentence, he ended up cutting himself off when something caught his attention from the very bottom of his eye—just as he was about to look away from Yuki. The item that had caught the dark-haired man's attention was his daughter's wolf-like doll, which was still sprawled out on the table in front of her.

Out of all of the chew toys and other playtime items that Ookami had managed to purchase for his children, absolutely _none_ of them compared to the small, stuffed, wolf-like dolls that Hana had taken the liberty to create before their births. In fact, whenever there was some type of issue with Ame, his wolf-like doll _always_ seemed to do a great job at calming him down and keeping him distracted.

At last, after what felt like an eternity of trying to juggle one overwhelming thought after another, an idea formed in Ookami's brain. Once it did, it felt as if the rest of his thoughts were _finally _beginning to link together and form the plan that he had been _desperately_ trying to jumble together ever since he first ran into Hana's old bedroom and saw Ame's sickly appearance. Overall, it was like a lightbulb was above Ookami's head and it had just turned on.

"Ah, of course...!" Ookami said to himself, eyes glimmering with realization. "Why didn't I think of that sooner...?!"

"Hm?" Yuki tilted her head a little to the side, still appearing to be confused. "Think of what, Daddy?"

The dark-haired man glanced back over towards his daughter, right before he explained.

"The doll that your mother made for Ame shortly before he was born—the one that looks _exactly _like yours. Your brother absolutely _loves _that doll. So, I'm almost one hundred percent certain that if it's given to him, he'll turn back into a human."

At the mention of Ame's favorite toy, Yuki dropped her gaze down to her own wolf-like doll to show that she understood how _those _were the toys that her father was speaking about. Then, as soon as Ookami reached the end of his final sentence, Yuki suddenly shot her head back up and flashed a cheerful grin in his direction. It made her whole face seem brighter than a beam that would fall from heaven. Not only that, but her eyes had also started twinkling like shooting stars and it was obvious that if she had been in her wolf form, the tips of her ears would've practically been touching from being perked up.

"Oh, oh! I can get it, Daddy!" Yuki exclaimed, shooting one of her arms up into the air and waving it around an excited schoolgirl that knew the answer to a question. "I can get Ame's doll! I wanna get it!"

The Wolf Man almost jumped, not expecting his daughter's voice to suddenly increase so much in volume. It made his shoulders grow tense and his eyes to grow to be the size of golf balls. Once again, the thought of the neighbors possibly getting woken up came back to Ookami's mind.

"Yuki, settle down—!"

"I wanna get Ame's doll!" Yuki persisted, her two-year-old brain obviously unable to comprehend the necessity of keeping quiet at such an ungodly hour. "I can get it, Daddy! I _can!_"

"Yes, sweetheart! I _know_ that you can!" Ookami retorted quickly, just as he started using his free hand to try motioning for his first-born child to calm down. "But you _really_ need to do Daddy a favor and keep quiet—!"

Yet, the auburn-haired wolf child kept going. "I wanna help, I wanna help, I wanna help!"

"Yuki, darling, you _can _help! But it's also _very _important for you to—!"

"I know where Ame's doll is!" Yuki proclaimed, cutting her father off as she stopped waving her arm around and curled her small hands into confident fists. "I can get it for him! I can, I can, I can!"

"_Shhhh!_"

Not knowing what else to say in order to try getting his daughter to quiet down, Ookami lifted his index finger up to his mouth and shushed her. He might've admired her determination and was grateful to see that she was becoming more and more bold with every passing day; but that didn't take away from the fact that they still lived in a building that carried even the smallest sounds. Plus, it didn't help that the Wolf Man was already the number one person in the entire apartment complex that was often complained about. He had already received a numerous amount of warnings from the landlady … and with Ame's current health, it made even _more_ sense as to why he wanted to try preventing the possibility of disturbing any of the neighbors.

Fortunately, by the time that Ookami finished his latest shush, Yuki had already silenced herself again. She pounced off the chair in an eager manner, disappearing from the Wolf Man's view for no more than two seconds. Then, as she reappeared, it came to Ookami's attention that his daughter had transformed into a wolf. She bounded out of the kitchen on all fours, panting happily.

The next part happened so fast.

Ookami puffed his cheeks out and quietly buzzed his lips in a mixture of exhaustion and relief. At the same time, he lowered his shoulders and felt the tension from them beginning to gradually decrease—as if there were hands that were squeezing his muscles and taking their time to lessen their grip on him. Then, the dark-haired man dropped his gaze back down into the basket and made eye contact with the wolf version of his son once more.

"Everything's okay, Ame..." Ookami whispered as he used the heel of his hand to gently massage the direct center of his second-born child's stomach. "I promise that everything's going to be just fine..."

Ame rested his red-rimmed eyes shut, his dull blue nose twitching and still dripping with snot. He let out a couple of more small, strained, dry coughs, followed by some new whimpers that sounded like they belonged to a newborn pup. Although, it was evident that the seven-month-old seemed to be at least somewhat comforted by the feeling of his father rubbing his belly.

However, about three-to-five seconds after the Wolf Man made his promise to his son, there was a loud _BANG _that erupted from the main room of the apartment. It sounded like somebody had ran headfirst into something … and as soon as Ookami heard that noise, he could've sworn that he felt his heart drop all the way down to the tips of his toes. He jerked himself back up, eyes as wide as saucers as he felt the tension return to his body. Although, unlike before, it was _so much_ more overwhelming to the point where it made nearly every last nerve inside of him feel paralyzed.

Meanwhile, Ame stopped moving and lied as still as possible against the fuzzy, white towel that was beneath him. He also popped his eyes back open, causing even more tears to leak out onto his lashes, and he let out a yelp that sounded both confused and alarmed.

"Yuki?!"

As soon as his daughter's name flew out of his mouth, Ookami quickly took one final glance down into the laundry bin.

"Daddy will be right back, Ame!"

With that, the Wolf Man made sure to confirm that his son wasn't on the verge of bursting into a new fit of sobs from the sudden noise and that he was unable to climb out of the basket. Then, without any need for hesitation, Ookami darted out of the kitchen—but not without accidentally hitting his arm against one of the unorganized stacks of clean laundry and causing it to tip over. Various quilts, sheets, and rags fell to the floor, causing the dark-haired man to spin back around and look at the new mess that he was going to have to clean up.

"Ah, damn…!" Ookami huffed, almost feeling tempted to smack himself upside the head for making such a clumsy mistake.

Nevertheless, instead of allowing himself to dwell on it, the Wolf Man pushed it to the back of his mind, spun back around on his heels, and hurried into the main room of the apartment. Then, with his eyes already locked in the direction in which the noise had come from, Ookami skidded to a halt. That's when he saw Yuki on the west side of the room, sitting in front of a decorative side table that was positioned neatly against the wall. She was still in her wolf form, surrounded by a variety of chew toys, colorful blocks, and other playtime items. One of her pointed ears were slightly bent and she was shaking her head, making it clear that the abrupt _BANG _must've been caused by her accidentally running into the side table.

Ookami let out a heavy exhale, still swearing that he felt his heartbeat in his toes instead of his chest. He was disappointed by how worried his daughter had made him feel by creating such an unexpected sound, but was also relieved that she appeared to be okay. After all, Yuki was a tough child and she had the habit of playing in a rather reckless manner on a day-to-day basis. So, she often got into accidents and rarely seemed to be fazed by any of them. The Wolf Man, on the other hand, was hoping that once his first-born child got older, she would make safer and wiser decisions—such as not running indoors, _especially _while she was in her wolf form.

* * *

_"When I was a child, Dad often described me as reckless … and even though I don't necessarily remember all of the details from my childhood, I can see that being true about me. It was a trait that I carried for many years, even **before **and **after **that night … and I seemed to enjoy it very much. Although, it probably **did **make Dad's job just 'a tad bit' more difficult at times..." ~ Yuki_

* * *

"Ohh … _Yuki..._" Ookami groaned slightly. "Are you okay?"

The two-year-old stopped shaking her head and glanced over her furry shoulder, not appearing to be dizzy or seriously injured. She was still wearing the same, cheery, self-assured grin that exposed her little fangs. Her cute, pointy ears had also perked up again, as if the one had never been lopsided.

"I'm okay, Daddy! Look! I found Ame's doll!"

With that, Yuki lowered her head and used her mouth to proudly pick up the stuffed, blue and white, wolf-like doll from where it was lying close to her front paws. She then turned around to face her father's direction, sitting upright like an obedient puppy and wagging her tail as it poked out from underneath her dress.

However, just as Ookami was about to open his mouth to say something back to his daughter … he ended up stopping himself when he felt an overwhelming urge suddenly appear inside of him. It shot through his chest like a bolt of lightning, practically _screaming _at him to look up. The dark-haired man was able to figure out almost immediately that it must've been triggered by his wolf instinct … and when he peeked up to see what had abruptly caused the burst of persistence inside of him, the Wolf Man felt all of the color rush out of his skin.

On top of the side table, there was a pretty, cylindrical, hand-painted vase that was wobbling around in circles—more than likely as the result of Yuki accidentally colliding into the table in the first place. It was on the verge of toppling over the edge and plummeting down to the floor, where it would—without a doubt—strike the two-year-old and shatter completely. Not only would Yuki suffer from multiple cuts, but a vase that was _that _heavy would surely be able to break a couple of her bones.

In that moment, Ookami's heart practically rocketed all the way back up into his chest. Although, instead of stopping there, it continued its way up his throat at the speed of lightning and punched him right in the roof of his mouth. Then, it felt like it had dropped all the way back down to the tips of his toes, as if the Wolf Man's heart suddenly weighed the same amount as a block of cement.

"AHH!" Ookami let out a panicked scream, his eyes looking like they were on the verge of popping out of their sockets. "YUKI! WATCH OUT!"

"Hm?"

With Ame's doll still in her mouth, Yuki followed her father's gaze and glanced up towards the top of the side table. Her happiness had completely altered into confusion … but as soon as she noticed the vase, her almond-colored eyes had grown to perfectly resemble two saucers. She looked much more shocked than afraid, not having enough time to process that she was going to end up being drastically injured if she didn't get out of the way. Not only was she too young to fully understand such a thing, but the vase had already toppled over the edge of the side table and was beginning to fall.

"COVER YOUR HEAD!" Ookami hollered as he sprang into action.

He threw himself down to the floor, completely tossing his previous concerns about the neighbors out the window. Before his hands came in contact with the ground, they morphed into large paws and—once again—the dark-haired man had found himself back in his wolf form. He charged all the way to the opposite side of the room, moving as quickly as his four legs would allow him. Then, with just a split second to spare, the Wolf Man shot his snout forward, snatched a hold of the back of Yuki's dress with his teeth, and yanked her out of the way.

_CRASH!_

The vase met the ground, shattering into hundreds of pieces.

At the same time, Ookami took a giant leap away. He tucked and rolled, the pale green carpet not doing a good job at protecting him from the impact of his rough movements. He kept his teeth sunk into the back of Yuki's dress, wanting to prevent her from getting squished or tossed around like a rag doll by holding her as close to his chest as possible. He knew that his fur was thick enough to provide what was like a fluffy airbag to her, even with it being underneath his black tank top.

The Wolf Man grunted with every aggressive roll, keeping his eyes squeezed shut and only thinking about the safety of his daughter. Eventually, he ended up having his body whack into the humongous, wooden dresser that was on the other side of the room—the same dresser that Yuki had tried climbing on multiple occasions.

"UGH!" Ookami blurted out at the exact moment of impact, feeling all of the air get knocked out of him.

After that, he found himself flopping over onto his stomach and lying like a pancake against the floor. Then, with a long and somewhat strained groan, the dark-haired man released his grip on the two-year-old's dress and pushed himself up onto his hands and knees. He had transformed back into a human, cringing slightly as he raised one of his hands up to his forehead to rub at a sore spot. Meanwhile, Yuki had been safely tucked between the floor and the fabric of Ookami's shirt. She was _still_ in her wolf form, front paws being held over her head with Ame's doll still being held in her mouth.

"Crap...!" Ookami hissed to himself through clenched teeth, holding back a couple of explicit terms. "Since when was the floor _this_ hard, dammit...?!"

The dark-haired man cracked his eyes open again, still rubbing at an aching spot that was on the side of his forehead … and that's when he noticed something from the corner of his vision. He didn't think twice before turning his head in the direction of the dresser, only to be greeted by the shocking sight of it beginning to topple over. It was evident that it must've lost its balance as the result of the Wolf Man's body firmly slamming into it.

Once again, Ookami's eyes widened in a mixture of fear and alarm, as if they had never been clenched shut. A startled jolt raced up his spine, while his ankles began to feel like they were pounding from his hectic heartbeat.

"AH! NOT AGAIN!" Ookami hollered, sounding just as panicked as he looked. "WHOA!"

Thinking fast, he changed his position so he would be on just one knee—as if he was somebody that was getting ready to propose. Then, with the leg that he had lifted up from the ground, the Wolf Man used his shin to prevent the first three drawers from rolling out any further than they already had. The fourth drawer, on the other hand, was stopped and blocked by his knee and one of his hands. Finally, the fifth drawer was smacked shut by Ookami's other hand … and just like that, he had successfully managed to catch the dresser before it could collapse to the floor.

With a few drops of nervous sweat now sprinkled along his hairline, Ookami took a moment to just stare at the massive dresser. After that, with an alarmed breath being held in his throat, he carefully—yet firmly—pushed the dresser back. Now, it was perfectly balanced and back in its original spot against the wall. Yet, the Wolf Man remained frozen in his position for a couple of extra seconds, needing some time to process what just happened.

"Phew!" Ookami exhaled at last, resting his eyes shut as his whole upper body practically melted against the dresser. "Another close call!"

"Are you okay, Daddy?"

The Wolf Man ran a hand through his hair, nearly wincing again from feeling another sore spot towards the back of his skull. Nevertheless, instead of allowing himself to dwell on his discomfort or on the sudden wave of exhaustion that had just finished crashing over him, Ookami put on the slightest sliver of a positive grin, opened his eyes again, and turned his head in order to look at his daughter. She was staring back at him, still in the form of a wolf pup and batting her lashes in a manner that made it clear that she was no longer startled by the events that had just taken place. If anything, she was just curious about her father's well-being.

"I'm fine, honey. The most that I'll get is probably just a couple of bruises. Daddy can handle that, no problem." Ookami assured, right before he withdrew his arms from the dresser and placed one of his hands gently against Yuki's furry cheek. "Now, what about you? Tell me, does anything hurt?"

"Mm-mm." Yuki replied, shaking her head a little. "Nothing hurts, Daddy."

The dark-haired man let out a new, deep breath that he hadn't even realized that he had been holding. He then nodded his head a little and made sure to restore his faint smile, not wanting his exhaustion, panic, fear, or pain to rise to the surface and be seen by either of his children.

"Good, that's very good..." Ookami said with a couple of soft nods. "Thank God..."

* * *

_"If that vase had landed on me at just the right angle … I probably wouldn't even be here today. Dad hadn't mentioned it to me until I was older, but it turned out that the vase was actually heavy enough to crush a young pup's skull … and if he hadn't pulled me out of the way, I now understand that I could've been reunited with my mom in the worst way possible. I was far too young to die … and Dad had saved my life on multiple occasions, even with me failing to realize. He was **always **determined to keep me and Ame safe … even if it meant letting himself get hurt__—__both physically **and** emotionally..." ~ Yuki_

* * *

"U-U-UWAHHHHHHHH!"

The Wolf Man jumped, a look of utter alarm and confusion chasing away his small grin almost immediately. For a moment, he froze … but then, about three seconds later, the realization ended up striking him like a train. The sound of that wail belonged to none other than his son, who had abruptly broke out into a new fit of sobs.

"Ame...?!" Ookami blurted out, his prior worry coming back to him. "Oh, no! Ame!"

Without any hesitation, he shot back up onto his feet. However, he ended up regretting almost immediately. As soon as he jumped up from the floor, he felt an intense wave of pain sweep across the middle of his right calf. It nearly caused him to fall forward, but the Wolf Man managed to save himself by quickly slapping a hand down against the top of the dresser. He grabbed the edge of the wooden surface, the pain in his leg resulting in the rest of his body toppling to the side and racking against the dresser again. A quick—though still loud—_BANG _echoed through the apartment, this one being even louder than the _BANG _that Yuki had caused when she had accidentally ran into the side table.

"GAH!" Ookami hollered at the exact moment of impact, gritting his teeth and screwing his eyes shut even tighter than before. "Holy crap...! _Dammit...!_"

As the result of him getting back up on his feet too fast, the dark-haired man was now experiencing a muscle spasm. Plus, it didn't help that he had been hurrying around the entire apartment ever since he had first woken up and he had _just_ gotten done flinging himself all the way to the other side of the main room in order to save his daughter from getting struck with the vase.

The actual spasm felt like a tight knot that was trying to protrude from underneath his skin. It also made the surrounding parts of the muscle feel unpleasantly warm, as if it had transformed into an oven. In fact, the discomfort from the muscle spasm was _so _intense to the point where the Wolf Man hadn't even paid much attention to how he had practically fallen against the dresser and was needing it for support.

"Daddy?!" Yuki yelped, her eyes now wide with a mixture of alarm and confusion. "Daddy, what's wrong?!"

In the back of his throat, Ookami did his best to smother a noise that sounded like a blend of a groan and a growl. Then, after a moment of trying to focus on his breathing rather than his pain, the dark-haired man opened his eyes, shifted a majority of his weight over onto his left leg, redirected his gaze back over to his first-born child, and forced the corners of his lips to curl into a new smile. It was evident that he was hurting, but that didn't change how he _still_ wasn't willing to worry or scare either of his children. Plus, as a single parent, the Wolf Man knew that he couldn't let _anything_ get in the way of him taking care of Ame and Yuki.

"Nah—! Nothing is wrong, Yuki. Daddy just—! Daddy just has a sore spot in his leg, that's all. It'll go away s—! Soon. Don't worry, okay?"

Ookami's response was quick and accompanied by slight strain, as shown by the few cringes that he hadn't managed to hold back. Yet, despite how the muscle spasm really _did _hurt like hell, the dark-haired man had also made sure to remain positive by keeping his faintly quivering grin right where it was on his face. Needless to say, he was handling the new situation in the same manner that he believed that Hana would've.

In the end, Ookami's reassurance seemed to work because it had Yuki softly nodding her head. Her shock had visibly melted away and it was obvious that her two-year-old brain didn't feel the need to question her father any further. That was _exactly _what Ookami had wanted to happen.

"UWAHHHHHHHHH!"

At the continuation of Ame's high-pitched wails, the Wolf Man found his smile dropping faster than an anvil. It was replaced almost instantly by a fatigued expression that had worry incorporated into it. In addition to that, his shoulder blades had grown tense again and his head ended up falling in a manner that made it obvious that he was still feeling _very _overwhelmed. Yet, he _still _refused to give up.

"I'm coming, son!" Ookami called out, lifting his head back up with a mixture of discomfort and determination brewing in his eyes. "Daddy's on his way!"

With that, the dark-haired man pushed himself away from the dresser. Then, with a grimace, he began to move in the direction of the kitchen as fast as he could. Although, that was _much_ easier said than done since he was still putting a majority of him weight on his left leg and he had no choice but to limp on account of the muscle spasm. It kept throbbing and the nerves in Ookami's right calf felt like they were being pinched with every move that he made. Nevertheless, he _refused_ to slow down.

Upon making it back into the kitchen, the Wolf Man attempted to quickly snatch up as many of the fallen pieces of laundry as possible. He nearly tripped over his own feet while doing so, but managed to catch himself and regain his balance before it was too late. After that, Ookami tossed the few articles of laundry that he _had _managed to grab back onto the table. Then, despite the intense discomfort that was pulsating throughout the back of his right leg, he forced himself to smother another grunt as he finally made it back over to the laundry basket and peered down into it again.

There Ame was, wiggling around like a worm on a hook and waving his arms around in a fussy manner. Similar to how he was earlier, his front paws—i.e. his hands—were balled up into tight fists and his eyes were squeezed shut. Tears were—yet again—flowing down his furry face and his small, dull blue nose still had snot leaking from it.

With a tired sigh, Ookami reached his hands down into the laundry bin. Like always, he slipped one hand underneath his son's head and his other hand underneath Ame's butt. Then, he carefully lifted the seven-month-old out of the basket and settled him in an upright position against his shoulder. Upon doing that, Ame reacted almost instantly by grabbing onto his father's shirt and squeezing the fabric in his front paws like his little life depended on it. All the while, he continued to fill the apartment with the sound of his blaring sobs.

"U-UWAHHHHHHH! W-W-WAHHHH!"

"Oh, Ame … shhh … it's okay, buddy. It's okay..." Ookami said, once again trying to soothe his second-born child by rubbing his back and lightly bouncing him around. "I kept my promise and came right back. Shhh … it's okay … Daddy's here, Ame … Daddy would _never _forget you. Shhh..."

Ame sniffled, the volume of his cries beginning to go back and forth from loud to mild. A small bubble of snot had inflated in his right nostril, only to pop a couple of seconds later. As this happened, the seven-month-old buried his face against his dad's shoulder and continued to bawl.

"W-WAHH...! U-u-uwahhh...! U-UWAHHHH...! Wahh...!"

By that point, Ame's wails were beginning to get interrupted by small hiccups, dry coughs, and him needing to refill his lungs with oxygen. Not only that, but after another ten or so seconds, his piercing sobs had started to melt away. In their place, congested whines and more sniffles took over. Ookami believed that this was because he had started to lightly glide the tips of his fingers back and forth across the area of his son's lower back that was directly above his tailbone. That seemed to be Ame's most favorite spot to be pampered, especially in difficult times like this.

Not only that, but the Wolf Man had also taken the liberty to position his own head against Ame's head. Almost immediately after he did that, the whimpering seven-month-old reacted by beginning to rub the side of his head along his dad's jawline. There was no doubt in Ookami's mind that Ame was doing that in order to feel the patchiness of his stubble, which was something that the blue-haired wolf pup often did whenever he was in need of comfort. He knew the feeling of his father's facial hair like the back of his hand, as well as Ookami's personal scents—both as a wolf, _and _as a human. In fact, the way that Ame was nuzzling Ookami's cheek was very similar to how a newborn pup would rub its snout against its mother's fur, in search of warmth, protection, and milk.

"There, there, son..." Ookami said in the calmest voice possible, not seeming the slightest bit bothered by Ame's tears or snot as they were smeared against his own skin. "Shhh … I know, you must be _very _hungry right about now … but don't worry. Daddy promises that you'll be getting some milk _very _soon. Shh, shh … I just need to get your temperature first, okay? Shhh … don't cry, don't cry..."

The seven-month-old whimpered, tightening his grip a little more on his father's top as tears continued to roll down his cheeks. His little shoulders shook as he proceeded to let out a blend of tearful yelps and smaller—though still mild—cries. Between every few sounds, Ame would stop to try catching his breath—his breathing being awfully shallow through his mouth, and terribly stuffy through his nose. All the while, he kept rubbing his head against Ookami's stubble, seeming to like how scratchy it felt against his light layer of fur.

"W-w-wa-wahh!" Ame stammered, still in the process of trying to recharge his lungs. "M-meh! Waahhh!"

"I know, buddy..." Ookami whispered as he continued to softly tickle the same spot on his son's lower back, not giving up on consoling him. "Daddy knows that you're aching pretty badly right now … but I'm going to need you to hang in there and keep fighting, alright? I promise, no matter what it takes … I won't stop at _anything_ until you're completely healed..."

Ame continued to sniffle and let out small, heartbreaking whines … but almost immediately after he heard that final sentence leave the Wolf Man's mouth, his mild sobs ended up coming to an end. He had even loosened his grip slightly on his dad's shirt and went as far as finally agreeing to rest his head in the crook of Ookami's neck. As soon as that happened, there were no words that could possibly describe just how _relieved_ Ookami felt. He might've felt the sweat from his son's hair and not to mention the extra, sickly heat that was radiating off from his fur … but that didn't take away from the fact that Ame was _finally _beginning to settle down. Surely, that was a sign that it wouldn't be much longer before he would switch back over into his human form.

The Wolf Man's lips began to stretch into a subtle―yet confident―grin, just as his dark blue eyes expanded a little and shimmered with astonishment. He looked almost exactly like a young child on Christmas morning, surprised and filled with glee from seeing just how many presents there were under the tree.

"_Oh my God … I'm **actually **getting him to calm down..._" Ookami thought, almost getting the urge to chuckle from feeling so much in awe. "_It's only a matter of time before he becomes a human again...! Hmm … I wonder … is it possible that I really **do** have this whole thing under control? … Huh … perhaps … perhaps, I **was** putting too much thought into it before. What if … I really **can **handle this situation all on my own...?_"

"Here you go, Daddy."

Ookami lowered his gaze at the sound of Yuki's voice, noticing her looking up at him with an innocent smile and a cheerful sparkle in her eyes. She was still in the form of an auburn-haired wolf pup, but was also standing on her hind legs and extending one of her arms up like a human. In one of her front paws, she was gripping Ame's stuffed toy by its torso and holding it up in her father's direction.

"Ah, thank you, sweetheart." Ookami said kindly, in which he stopped tickling his son's lower back, took the wolf-like doll from his daughter, and stared at it in his much larger hand. "Now, all I need to do is give this to your brother and—"

_KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!_

The Wolf Man jolted, unable to finish his sentence as he was interrupted by the sound of three harsh knocks. They shot through the apartment, despite having a brief pause inserted between each one pf them. It was as if whoever—or whatever—was causing the abrupt sounds was purposely _trying_ to put extra emphasis on every individual knock … and it was working.

In that moment, Ookami's entire body had become as stiff as a statue. He slowly lifted his head and stared into the apartment's main room, feeling his heart racing at a slightly faster pace after it had taken a startled jump beforehand. Meanwhile, as the sound of the three distinct knocks continued to replay in his mind, the dark-haired man tried his hardest to convince himself that it was just his imagination. However, within seconds after the first set of knocks echoed through the air...

_KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!_

… The sound of _another_ three knocks came. Although, unlike before, these knocks were quicker and they sounded even _more _aggravated than the previous ones. That was when Ookami knew that he could no longer ignore what was going on. Those knocks were coming from somebody at the door … and as soon as he allowed himself to process that, all of the Wolf Man's confidence, amazement, and relief had shriveled up like it had never existed in the first place.

In the blink of an eye, Ookami's prior positivity was chased away by an even _more_ intense storm of panic—especially when he looked down at Ame and saw that he was _still _in the form of a wolf pup. His jaw dropped, suddenly feeling heavier than a block of cement, and—despite how it might've not been one hundred percent visible—the dark-haired man felt _so_ overwhelmed to the point where he could've sworn that his stomach was seconds away from drooping all the way down to his ankles. He was going to have to come up with a way to keep his family's secret an _actual _secret … and _fast._

"_Oh, **crap!**_" Ookami bellowed mentally, the voice in his head sounding just as worried as the look on his face. "_It looks like I asked myself that question **a little** too early!_"

_KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!_

"U-uhh...!" Ookami faltered from his nervousness, but was quick to recover. "Just a second, please!"

Ame let out another slightly rough cough, which was immediately followed by a couple of more whines and sniffles. As this happened, the Wolf Man continued to bounce him around in the hopes of preventing him from possibly breaking out into a new explosion of sobs. Then, with a couple of anxious sounds quietly falling from Ookami's lips, he glanced around at every possible inch of the kitchen, trying to come up with a solution to this new problem. Eventually, after about three-to-five seconds, his attention was—yet again—grabbed by the many disorganized stacks of laundry on the table. That's when an idea came to the dark-haired man's mind.

He quickly sat his son's wolf-like doll aside, right before he shot his hand out and grabbed the first quilt that he saw—an old, soft, pale red one, to be exact. Then, while biting down on his bottom lip and trying his hardest to ignore the sharp pain that was still shooting through his right calf, Ookami used his unoccupied hand to shake the quilt out of its folded state. Afterwards, with the same hand, he quickly lied it out on the table in front of him, trying not to pay any mind to the other few stacks of laundry that he had accidentally knocked over when first retrieving the quilt.

"Okay, Ame. Daddy's going to need you to work with him here...!" Ookami instructed as he lifted his empty hand up to his son's head and started to quickly—but carefully—lower him down onto the quilt. "We're going to need to cover you up...!"

Ame batted his wet lashes, gaping in confusion as he looked up at his dad. He then rolled his head from one side to the other, watching as Ookami quickly grabbed both edges of the quilt and started to wrap it around him. Fortunately, the quilt was thin and a size or two larger than the seven-month-old. So, that meant that it could be swaddled around his small body without rendering him immobile or irritating his fever.

_KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!_

Ookami almost flinched, feeling tension beginning to build up in his shoulders all over again. Yet, in an attempt to prevent himself from possibly getting anymore anxious, he drew in the steadiest breath that he could manage through his nose. Then, after holding it in for a couple of seconds, he let it out through his mouth. All the while, his fingers worked as hastily as they could to position one end of the quilt around Ame's head like a hood.

"I'll be there in a minute!" Ookami called out to whoever was at the door, right before he finished tucking the quilt around his second-born child. "Alright, son, there we go...! It may not be the world's _greatest_ cover-up, but at least it'll keep our secret safe..."

_KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!_

At the sound of an extra knock, the dark-haired man let out a noise that sounded like a mixture between a huff and a groan. At the same time, he scooped his son back up from the table and gently rested his little body against his shoulder in the same vertical position as before. Now, Ame was completely—and comfortably—wrapped up like a newborn. His face was the only part of him that was exposed, which meant that whoever was at the door _wouldn't_ be able to see his any of his wolf features.

"Daddy?" Yuki spoke up at last. "What's going on?"

Ookami dropped his gaze back down to his daughter, noticing that she was staring off in the direction in which the knocks were coming from. Then, as she turned back to look at her father again, it was revealed that she had an equal blend of confusion and watchfulness detailed across her face. Not only that, but like Ame, she was _also_ still in her wolf form … and, needless to say, that only made the whole predicament even _more_ stressful. In fact, by that point, the Wolf Man firmly believed that a new word just _had_ to be invented in order to describe the _massive_ amount of nervousness that he was experiencing in that very moment.

Without letting his muscle spasm get in his way, Ookami quickly lowered himself down onto one knee. After that, while the discomfort in the back of his right calf continued to throb and make the dark-haired man feel like he was being roughly prodded with a knife, he stared directly into Yuki's eyes. The look on his face was serious, but there was also something about it that made it clear that he wasn't trying to worry or scare his first-born child.

"Yuki, I'm going to need you to listen _very _carefully, alright?" Ookami whispered, doing a surprisingly well job at preventing his voice from sounding anxious or desperate. "It appears that one of our neighbors has decided to pay us a visit … and that means that Daddy _really _needs you to transform back into a human—just like we've practiced _many_ times before."

Yuki's ears automatically lowered, almost lying directly against her hair, and slight nervousness began to appear in her almond-colored eyes. As this happened, she lightly tapped the two index toes—a.k.a fingers—of her front paws against each other. Even for a two-year-old, it was rare for Yuki to get anxious over hardly anything. Usually, no matter what was going on, she remained incredibly cheerful, daring, and energetic. However, when she saw her father behaving in a manner like _this, _she couldn't help but grow at least a little worried.

"Are—are we going to be okay?" Yuki reluctantly asked, her voice lightly sprinkled with nervousness.

_KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!_

Yuki jumped, letting out a startled yelp as she made a move to twist herself back around in the direction of the knocking—completely out of reflex. Although, before she could manage to do so, she was stopped by her father. While supporting Ame in his left arm, he had reached his right hand out and placed his fingers against the thin layer of soft, beige-colored fur that covered his daughter's cheek. Then, Ookami quickly—yet gently—guided Yuki's gaze back over to him … but not without molding his lips into the most reassuring and optimistic smile that he could. It wasn't easy, but he still managed.

* * *

_"Sometimes, people fail to notice the true strength that another person has. One of the biggest lessons that I obtained from my father is that a person's strength **isn't** determined by the size of their muscles or by the confidence that sometimes flashes through their eyes. Instead, a person's strength is determined by their decision to smile … because a smile can be worn at any time__—__even when it doesn't seem like there's anything worth **truly** smiling over. And ever since the very beginning of his complex journey as a single parent … Dad made sure to put on a smile at least once every single day. For as long as I can remember … he has **always **been **unbelievably** strong..." ~ Yuki_

* * *

"We're going to be just fine!" Ookami promised, doing his best to ignore the slight waver in his voice as he made himself sound as positive as possible. "No matter what happens, I'll _always_ be here to protect you and your brother … and that's _exactly _why I need you to switch back over into your human form. Then, I'm going to need you to _stay_ that way—no matter what is said or done. Can you do that for me, honey? … Can you become a human again for Daddy?"

With every word that the dark-haired man spoke, the more that Yuki's worry and hesitance seemed to fade away. Although, her watchfulness remained … and as soon as her father asked her that final question, she didn't need to wait more than three seconds before nodding her head. After that, she closed her eyes and shook her body around like a wet dog that had just gotten done climbing out of a bath. Within seconds, her paws, fur, light brown nose, and pointy ears were replaced by her ivory complexion, dainty hands, matching feet, and other human features. It was as if she had never been in her wolf form to begin with.

The Wolf Man let out a small breath, having his worry turned down a couple of notches. Granted, the overall situation was still pretty overwhelming … but at least there was _some_ relief in the fact that he had managed to convince _one_ of his children to turn back into a human.

"That's my girl. Now, remember what I just said. No matter what is said or done, I _need _you to stay in this form. When I open that door, you are _not _allowed to turn into a wolf under _any _circumstances." Ookami declared as he flicked his eyebrows up and continued to stare directly into his daughter's eyes, showing her just how serious he was being. "Is that understood?"

Yuki gave a single nod, accompanied by an, "Mm-hm!"

_KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!_

"Wahhh!" Ame blurted out, making it more than obvious that he didn't like all of the noise that was going on. "A-ahhh!"

Ookami reacted almost immediately. He flung his right hand back up to the back of Ame's head and settled it there, while his left arm started to gently bounce him again. Not only did the dark-haired man genuinely want to provide his son with comfort, but he also wanted to prevent him from possibly squirming around too the point where he would cause the part of the quilt that was being worn over his head to fall down. So, one of the main reasons that Ookami had decided to quickly settle one of his hands against the back of Ame's head was to prevent the quilt from possibly drooping off and exposing his wolf form.

"Shh, shh, shh! Everything's going to be okay, Ame. Daddy's still got you." Ookami whispered, right before he dropped his gaze—once again—back down to his first-born child. "Stay behind me at all times."

Yuki nodded again. "Okay, Daddy."

_KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!_

"Ugh..." Ookami sighed, his shoulders sinking in a mixture of tiredness, disbelief, and exasperation. "I'm on my way!"

_KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!_

The knocks were getting quicker and even _more_ persistent, making it more than obvious that whichever neighbor was on the opposite side of the door, _wasn't _planning to go back to their own apartment until they got what they came for. So, after taking about three seconds to brace himself, the Wolf Man practically shot back up onto his feet as quickly as possible. He wanted to get the pain from his muscle spasm over with, automatically clenching his teeth in severe anguish and forcing himself to choke down on a grunt before it could lunge out of his throat. Then, despite the sharp cramp, Ookami sucked in a determined breath, shifted a majority of his weight back over onto his other leg, and kept pushing forward.

He hobbled as fast as he could, continuing to cringe and hold back groans as he mostly dragged his right leg with every step that he took. Although, regardless of his limp, he was still moving at a surprisingly well speed. He ventured through the apartment's main room, continuously turning his head to make sure that the quilt that was covering his son wasn't at all slipping. All the while, the dark-haired man did his best to pay no mind to the new messes that he was going to have to sooner or later clean up—i.e. the disorganized laundry and the shattered vase. He knew that he had much bigger things to focus on in that moment.

_KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!_

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Ookami called out, right before he swallowed another grunt and lowered his voice into a grumble. "Agh, dammit...! Stupid cramp...!"

_KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!_

"Okay, okay! I'm here! Just hang on another second, please!"

The Wolf Man finally made it over to the front door of the apartment, letting out a fatigued huff as he came to a halt and continued to support himself mainly on his left leg. After that, since the person at the door had _finally _decided to stop their obnoxious knocking, Ookami took the opportunity to check on his children quickly. Ame was still drawing in stuffy breaths through his nose, as well as making small sounds that were typical for a baby. Yuki, on the other hand, was hiding behind her father's right leg and holding onto the fabric of his olive-colored sweatpants. The two of them made eye contact, right before Ookami gave her a small nod to confirm that he was going to be opening the door. It was clear that the two-year-old must've understood—because she ducked a little further behind his leg and only agreed to peek out a little.

"_Please don't be Mrs. Ruto, **please **don't be Mrs. Ruto..." _Ookami pleaded internally, referring to the landlady as he redirected his attention back over to the door.

He drew in a deep breath through his nose and held it in for a couple of seconds, preparing himself for whatever was about to come. Then, upon releasing the air through his mouth, the dark-haired man leaned in and took a peek outside through the door's peephole. That's when he saw the person that was responsible for all of the knocking … and as soon as he realized who they were, Ookami couldn't help but drop his head and groan mentally.

"_Ugh … I take it back. Maybe Mrs. Ruto wouldn't be so bad after all..._"

There, standing right outside the door, was Mrs. Nakano—the pale, slim, fifty-some-year-old woman who lived with her husband in the apartment that was directly below Hana's apartment. For as long as the dark-haired man could remember, she had _never _been the slightest bit fond of him. In fact, she was the type of person who seemed to have a bone to pick with nearly _everyone_ that she came across … and—for a variety of reasons—she wasn't exactly Ookami's most favorite neighbor. She was _incredibly _irritable and a _major _control freak, despite how her lovely and surprisingly youthful appearance made her seem like somebody that would be the exact opposite.

Currently, as shown through the peephole, Mrs. Nakano was wearing a long, frilly, lavender nightgown with a white, floral robe and matching bunny slippers. Not only that, but her hair—which was long, wavy, and the color of charcoal—was pulled back into a loose ponytail that kept her whole face exposed. Her arms were also crossed over her chest and her teal eyes were sharply narrowed, looking almost like they were trying to slice right through the door. She practically made the air reek of impatience … and the Wolf Man could already tell that he was going to be in for one hell of an unpleasant earful.

"Well, Ookami … might as well bite the bullet and get this over with..." Ookami grumbled under his breath.

"M-mehh!" Ame whined, right before he released another small cough and began to sensitively move his limbs around in the loose cocoon that he was in.

The dark-haired man reacted almost immediately, resting his hand against the seven-month-old's back and lightly rubbing it through the quilt. At the same time, while shushing him, Ookami used his opposite arm to begin bouncing him again. Thankfully, by doing that, Ame's wiggling had lessened to a much more tolerable level.

"_Oh, Hana…_" Ookami prayed in his mind, hoping to God that his son wouldn't start squirming around like that again. "_**P**__**lease **help soothe Ame so he won't wiggle around so much. I know that **I'm** the one that's part wolf, but … you were always so much better at these types of situations._"

With that, the dark-haired man stretched his lips into the kindest and most welcoming smile that he could. Although, unlike all of his prior grins, it was one hundred percent noticeable that this one was forced. Yet, that didn't stop Ookami from proceeding to undo the chain, unlock the door, and—at last—open it. All the while, he continued to bounce Ame in his left arm … and as soon as he finished opening the door, he felt an unpleasant tingle race down his spine. Whether it was caused by making eye contact with Mrs. Nakano or by the mild chill that was beginning carried in the breeze, the Wolf Man couldn't tell. It was probably a mixture of both.

"Ah, Mrs. Nakano!" Ookami spoke in a tone that was just as polite and staged as his smile. "How nice it is to see—"

"Well, it's about time!" Mrs. Nakano bellowed, cutting him off rudely. "What on _earth_ took you so long to answer the door?! And _why_ are you standing like you are practicing to be the Leaning Tower of Pisa?!"

The Wolf Man faltered, his smile automatically being replaced by an expression that looked both lost and startled. It was a look that was similar to what a child would wear when they were astonished by the complexity of an algebra problem.

"Uhh..." Ookami said in an attempt to overcome his disbelief, only to end up dropping his attention back down to Yuki.

She had lightly tugged on his pants, still standing behind his right leg. Except, she now had her head tilted upwards and she was staring at her father with a blend of curiosity and watchfulness detailed across her face.

"Daddy? What's 'Pee-suh?'" Yuki inquired, keeping her voice soft as she clearly attempted to pronounce the word _Pisa._

Instead of responding, Ookami placed his right hand on top of his daughter's head—a sign that meant that he would go into that at some other time. After that, he retracted his hand, returned it to the back of Ame's head, and redirected his gaze back up to Mrs. Nakano. Then, the dark-haired man did his best to restore his previous smile. It still looked awfully staged, but also appeared to be a little sheepish.

"About that … I'm sorry for making you wait—"

Mrs. Nakano scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Oh, I'm _sure _you are..."

"—But I'm afraid that I ended up getting a muscle spasm in my right leg." Ookami went on, trying not to be bothered by the older woman's bitterness. "I tried standing up a little too quickly and … well, my calf ended up paying the price. So, not only is it harder for me to walk, but it's also a little more difficult for me to put weight on my right leg for the time being."

While the dark-haired man gave his explanation, Mrs. Nakano ended up squinting at him like he was the biggest idiot on the entire planet.

She hissed at him. "For crying out loud, you _can't _be serious! You can't be more than, what? Thirty-five?"

"Umm..." Ookami blinked, his smile wavering again. "I'm twenty-seven, actually..."

"My point _exactly._" Mrs. Nakano declared, the judgement in her voice never fading. "A person of your age should be able to handle something as small as a muscle spasm with absolutely _no_ difficulties whatsoever. Are you sure that you haven't been drinking?"

As soon as that question left the older lady's mouth, the Wolf Man's eyes grew a little. His smile dropped right then and there, resulting in him having to press his lips together in order to prevent them from falling into a disapproving frown or possibly even a slight sneer. He did a remarkable job at maintaining his cool, but that didn't change the fact that Ookami knew that if his children hadn't been there, he probably would've put a firmer foot down. However, not only did he wish to prevent blowing up in front of Ame and Yuki, but he also wanted to make sure that he didn't stir up anymore trouble that night.

"With all due respect, Mrs. Nakano…" Ookami said as calmly as possible. "I am the father of two young children. My focus is _always _on them, so … I _don't_ drink."

The older woman remained unimpressed. "Well, that's _one _thing that you're doing right..."

Ookami narrowed his eyes slightly, something about that comment striking a nerve in him. He almost felt tempted to return the snark that was being delivered to him … but before he could open his mouth to say something back to Mrs. Nakano...

"W-wehh! Ahh!"

… Ame had started to whine again, followed by him releasing another hiccup. It was as if he was trying to talk his father out of sinking down to Mrs. Nakano's level, despite how the seven-month-old couldn't _actually _talk.

Ookami nearly jolted, as if he had been snapped out of a trance. Then, upon glancing back down at his son, Ookami internally sighed from—once again—reminding himself that it wouldn't have been a wise decision to add fuel to Mrs. Nakano's fire. It would've sat a bad example for his children, as well as put even _more _stress on him. Plus, Hana wouldn't have wanted him to get bitter … and the Wolf Man knew this.

In an attempt to keep Ame soothed, Ookami started to delicately rub the back of his neck through the quilt. As he did this, he flicked his gaze back over to Mrs. Nanako and made himself appear as composed as possible.

"I'm sorry, but … is there something that you need, Mrs. Nanako?"

"_Yes._ As a matter of fact, there_ is._" Mrs. Nanako replied almost instantly, her teal irises looking like they were seconds away from bursting into flames. "Mr. Matsu, can you tell me what time it is?"

The Wolf Man blinked, not exactly understanding why the older woman was asking him a question like _that _since she and her husband surely owned a clock. Nevertheless, instead of facing the risk of testing Mrs. Nanako's patience even more by answering her question with another question, Ookami thought back to earlier—when he had first hurried into the kitchen with Ame and Yuki. Although, since he was running on just a couple of hours of sleep, it took Ookami a moment to recall the time that he had noticed on the clock. Back then, it had been 2:20 … and after _everything _that had led up to that very moment, the Wolf Man actually had no idea as to what the time _now_ was.

In an attempt to help distract himself from the slight awkwardness that he now felt, Ookami began to lightly bounce Ame again. He then dragged his bottom lip between his teeth, knowing that he could only make his best guess on what the time currently was.

"Oh, um..." Ookami droned, maintaining his nonchalance to the best of his abilities. "It is … about two-forty?"

"It is _three o'clock in the morning._" Mrs. Nanako retorted in a scolding tone, her words growing harder with every emphasis. "And do you know what a majority of people are usually _doing_ at _three o'clock in the morning, _Mr. Matsu?"

The dark-haired man faltered again, his jaw nearly dropping in bewilderment. He couldn't tell which fact stunned him more—that his guess had been off by an additional twenty minutes, or that _so much _had happened in that short period of time.

"Uhh..." Ookami stammered, a small cringle slipping across his face from how stupid he sounded.

"Oh, that's right! _Sleeping!_" Mrs. Nanako sneered, once again cutting into the Wolf Man's chance to respond. "Mr. Matsu, I don't know how _you_ spent your mornings at three A.M. before moving into this apartment, but I've lived in this building with my husband for over twenty-five years and I can assure you that _every single person _that _also_ lives here is _asleep_ at this time! Or, at the very least, _tries _to be!"

Ookami's shoulders drooped a bit in discouragement. At the same time, he lowered his head a little in order to take a break from staring into Mrs. Nanako's sharp eyes—even if it was just for a couple of seconds. In regards of disturbing the neighbors, this was _exactly _what the Wolf Man was afraid of … and what made it even worse was knowing that he couldn't really protest to anything that Mrs. Nanako was telling him. So far, she was doing nothing but stating facts.

"I … I know..." Ookami said quietly, not paying any mind to the cold breeze as it grazed his face and whistled through his disheveled hair.

Mrs. Nanako scoffed again. "Oh, really? Because I don't think you do."

Ookami bit down on the inside of his cheek and slowly lifted his head back up, slight sharpness shooting through his eyes as they met the older woman's face again. Although, the sharpness disappeared as quickly as it came—only because the dark-haired man was still trying his best to watch his tongue and handle this predicament in the same manner that he believed that his mate would've.

"And do you know _why _I say that, Mr. Matsu?" Mrs. Nanako inquired, sounding like she was getting ready to punish a five-year-old. "Because for the past _forty minutes,_ there has been _nothing _but complete and utter _noise _coming from this apartment! I'm surprised that none of the other neighbors have decided to come by with pitch forks and torches yet!"

Something in the Wolf Man's bones trembled. For as long as he could remember, he had carried the belief that if anybody found out the truth about his family, then it wouldn't be long before they were thrown into their very own version of the Salem Witch Trails. So, the thought of people appearing on the doorstep with pitch forks and torches made Ookami feel a little sick to his stomach—especially since his children were so young and he was still trying to teach them about the necessity of keeping their family secret an _actual_ secret. Nevertheless, the dark-haired man _refused_ to allow himself to dwell on such a nerve-wracking thought—especially since he was determined to prevent it from _ever_ coming true.

"I … I _understand_ where you're coming from, Mrs. Nanako." Ookami pointed out, still trying to maintain a respectful attitude while also trying to move this conversation along as quickly as possible. "My son _has _been crying a bit more than usual, but that's only because—"

"For Christ's sake, Mr. Matsu...!" Mrs. Nanako groaned in exasperation, signaling for the Wolf Man to silence himself by holding one of her hands up and shaking her head at him. "After raising five children, my husband and I are practically _immune_ to the sound of a baby's cries. Granted, your son's wails _are _what woke us up in the first place … but they're not what caused me to make the decision to come up here and pay you a visit at such an ungodly hour."

Once again, Ookami felt a sudden tug on the back of his sweatpants. He looked down, only to end up making eye contact with Yuki. She was still standing behind his leg and listening to the whole conversation, batting her lashes like the innocent toddler that she was. Needless to say, her curiosity and watchfulness hadn't faltered even the slightest bit.

"'E-moon,' Daddy?" Yuki said softly, obviously trying to repeat the word _immune._

The Wolf Man shook his head at her, silently reminding her that now wasn't the time for him to explain what specific words meant. Then, as the two-year-old continued to hold onto the fabric of his pants, Ookami redirected his attention back over to Mrs. Nanako.

"Well, if that's the case … then what _exactly _was it that made you feel the need to come and see me?" Ookami asked, as if he didn't already have a hunch.

"_Don't_ waste my time by acting like you don't already know." Mrs. Nanako growled, holding a finger up in a manner that made it seem like she was threatening the dark-haired man. "I distinctly heard a loud _bang, _followed by what was like _glass _shattering against the floor. Then, just as I had thought that the ruckus couldn't _possibly _escalate any further, this—this _rumbling _noise ended up filling mine and my husband's bedroom! I swear, by all that is holy, your apartment sounds like a playground that has wild animals charging through it!"

Ookami's eyes grew at that final sentence, his heart nearly freezing in his chest as he thought about Ame again. In that very moment, just underneath the quilt that was wrapped around him, the seven-month-old was _still _in the form of a blue-haired wolf pup … and here Mrs. Nanako was, standing right outside the apartment's entrance and making a comment that hit too close to home for the dark-haired man's liking.

"W-wahh!" Ame cried out, also not seeming to like the older lady's statement on wild animals. "M-mehh!"

With that, Ookami quickly shook his head and cleared his throat, snapping himself out his distracted state before he could possibly spark any suspicion. Then, as he returned his right hand to the back of his son's head and proceeded to bounce him around some more, the Wolf Man forced his lips to stretch into a smile that was even _more _staged. Yet, at the same time, there was _still _something about it that made it appear fairly convincing.

"W-well, I can _definitely _assure you that there's no wild animals here...!" Ookami declared, only stumbling over his first word since he had been trying to get that sentence out quickly.

"Do I _look_ like I was born yesterday, Mr. Matsu? Of course, I know that there are no _actual _wild animals in your apartment! This building doesn't even allow _regular _pets, let alone any that would be considered _'wild.'_ It was a figure of speech, for crying out loud!" Mrs. Nanako retorted, right before she huffed and placed her hands on her hips. "Now, I'm _still_ waiting to hear your explanation as to why you're allowing such _racket _to be going on at this time—especially with me needing to get up at the crack of dawn to tidy up my _own_ apartment and prepare breakfast for my grandchildren that are coming to visit!"

The Wolf Man exhaled, feeling some of the tension lift off from his shoulders as his phony grin crumbled away. It might've not been visible to the naked eye, but there were no words that could possibly describe just how _glad_ he was to know that Mrs. Nanako wasn't going to be holding that comment she made about wild animals over his head.

"Uhh … yes, of course." Ookami said with a couple of faint nods. "The whole reason as to why I'm awake at this time is because my son is running a fever. I'm currently in the process of trying to take care of him … and, in order to have the greater possibility of calming him down, I asked my daughter to go retrieve his favorite toy from the main room. That's when she … you know, ended up _tripping _and causing a vase to fall from one of the side tables. It ended up shattering against the ground, but … nobody got hurt. Thankfully."

Mrs. Nanako cocked an eyebrow, remaining silent as the chilly breeze made a few stray strands of her charcoal-colored hair flutter around. However, it was more than obvious by the stony expression on her face and the condescending glimmer in her eyes that there was something about the Wolf Man's explanation that she found to be "wrong." She looked awfully similar to an eerie self-portrait, especially when she suddenly decided to peek downward without even needing to move her head.

Ookami followed the older woman's gaze almost immediately … and it didn't take long before the realization dawned on him that she had glued her attention on Yuki. As the result of this, Yuki had ducked even more behind her father's leg and tightened her grip on his sweatpants. It was obvious that Mrs. Nanako made her nervous, but that still didn't stop the two-year-old from putting on the toughest face that she could muster.

Upon noticing this, the dark-haired man leaned his body a little to side—not even minding his muscle spasm—and blocked the older lady's gaze from his daughter. By doing this, the two of them made eye contact again.

"Hey...!" Ookami spoke up at that exact moment, allowing himself to sound a little more firm. "I'm _right here,_ Mrs. Nanako."

"I _know_ where you are, Mr. Matsu." Mrs. Nanako retorted, not seeming at all fazed by the Wolf Man's comment as she folded her arms over her chest again. "Tell me, when your daughter broke that vase … where _exactly _were you?"

In that moment, Ookami could've sworn that he felt a sensation that was similar to an impact—such as when somebody would run into a brick wall at full speed. He nearly jolted, causing the upper half of his spine to feel like it had been stretched. Then, as he slowly straightened himself back up, the dark-haired man narrowed his eyes a little. He couldn't tell whether he was more confused, startled, or insulted by what Mr. Nanako just said … but not necessarily because she had asked him that question. On the contrary, he was more focused on the statement that she had made about Yuki _before_ that.

"I was in the kitchen with my son. I had just finished retrieving the First-Aid kit and I was getting ready to take his temperature." Ookami pointed out with disapproval beginning to form along the edges of his voice. "Now, _why_ does it sound like you're assuming that my daughter broke the vase _on purpose?_"

"You tell me." Mrs. Nanako remarked, shrugging her shoulders in a manner that made her seem even _more_ like a smartass. "After all, you _just said _that you were in the kitchen with your son and that you allowed your daughter to run off all willy-nilly on her own. By permitting her to do that, you basically provided her with the opportunity to get away with such a mischievous act … and it could've _easily_ been avoided if you had just been keeping a better eye on her. _Not _a very responsible move, if you ask me—_especially_ not for a parent."

The Wolf Man slowly grinded his teeth behind his closed his lips, unable to ignore how he was beginning to feel like a bear that was getting poked with a stick. His face was beginning to morph into a slight scowl, looking awfully similar to the expression that he had shot in Hana's direction when she had stopped him on the university's stairwell.

"Mrs. Nanako…" Ookami said, now sounding slightly cold and distant. "I would appreciate it if you _didn't _bring my parenting skills into question."

"Allowing your daughter to run around without any supervision whatsoever?" Mrs. Nanako scoffed and rolled her eyes, obviously not backing down. "I wouldn't necessarily refer to that as a _skill, _Mr. Matsu."

The Wolf Man wouldn't back down on defending his daughter. "First of all, it was in the safety of our own home. And secondly, I know for a fact that it really _was_ just an accident—an accident that I take _full_ responsibility for."

"Whether it was an accident or not, such an incident should be enough proof that it's about time for you to come up with _proper_ forms of discipline for _both_ of your children."

Ookami froze, feeling a sudden burst of heat flare up in his chest. He could tell that it was most definitely _anger, _which resulted in him narrowing his eyes at the older woman again. However, he knew that his wolf form could be triggered by abrupt explosions of emotion. So, despite how much the hotness inside of him made him feel like he had just swallowed the world's spiciest pepper, the dark-haired man made sure to hold his temper in.

"I beg your pardon?" Ookami said at last.

"Well, between the two of us, I believe that it should be more than obvious that _I'm_ the one who knows more about bringing up children." Mrs. Nanako pointed out, placing a hand over her heart. "My husband and I raised _five _children—three sons and two daughters, to be exact—in _our_ apartment. They might've each had their own rambunctious moments here and there, but not _once_ had any of them caused as much ruckus as _your_ daughter. And you know _why?_ Because whenever _our_ children got too out of hand, my husband and I made sure that they were rightfully punished."

The firmness in the Wolf Man's stare increased a little. "What did I just say about degrading my parenting skills, Mrs. Nanako?"

"I'm just stating the obvious, Mr. Matsu. If you don't discipline your daughter properly, then it's only going to be a matter of time before she grows to believe that she can get away with _anything_ that she wants. That goes for your son, too."

"My daughter is _two_ and my son is _seven months. _They don't _understand_ the meaning of ill intentions, let alone hold the ability to have any at _this_ point in their lives." Ookami retorted, speaking in a tone that made it seem like such a fact should've already been clear to the older woman. "I can assure you, when my children grow to get a firmer grip on the differences between right and wrong, _then _I'll discipline their wrongdoings. And until that time comes, I will make sure that _none_ of their mistakes are held against them. Now, I appreciate your concern, but … I believe that I have everything under control with _my _family."

Mrs. Nanako didn't appear to be the slightest bit convinced, her eyes now looking like they were on the verge of burning holes through the Wolf Man's head.

"So, _this _is how you show that you have everything under control? By allowing your children to constantly make noise and even go as far as letting them get away with breaking things?"

Once again, Ookami faltered … and even though he still wasn't satisfied with how a majority of that conversation had panned out, there was something about that particular comment that made his confidence begin to waver. He sucked his lips into his mouth, maintaining eye contact with the older woman. Then, after a couple of seconds, he responded in a soft—yet serious—tone.

"…I think that it's time for you to go back to your own apartment now. Thank you for stopping by."

As he said that last sentence, the Wolf Man moved his right hand to the door and began to shut it. However, before he could manage to close it all the way, he was forced to stop when the older woman suddenly slapped her own hand against the opposite side of the door. This caused the whole door to practically shake, a quick and loud _SLAM _puncturing through the air. Even for a fifty-some-year-old, Mrs. Nanako appeared to be quite strong.

Ookami jumped slightly, while Yuki let out a startled yelp … and when the dark-haired man peeked back outside through the slim gap that remained opened between the door and its frame, he saw Mrs. Nanako staring back at him with a dead serious expression plastered on her face.

"If you don't wish to hear me out, Mr. Matsu, then it appears that you leave me no choice...! When morning officially arrives, I'm going to pay a visit to Mrs. Ruto and continue this conversation with _her—_before my grandchildren arrive. I'll be sure to inform her on _everything _that you just told me … and I wouldn't be surprised if she ends up being the _next _person in the building to swing by your apartment. Although, to be completely honest, I think that having _another _visit from Mrs. Ruto is _exactly _what you need. Perhaps, it'll motivate you to keep a closer eye on your children—and not to mention keep them_ quiet._"

As soon as Mrs. Nanako brought up the landlady, all that was left of Ookami's confidence ended up getting sucked out of him. At the same time, worry came crashing over him like a wave—washing all of his irritation away—and his eyes grew as he thought about the multiple warnings that Mrs. Ruto had already given him in the past. If she received _anymore_ complaints from any of the neighbors about the Wolf Man, then it would only be just a matter of time before his family ended up getting kicked out of the apartment complex … and Ookami knew this.

Ookami let out a breath that he hadn't even realized that he had been holding. It left his mouth in a somewhat shaky manner, just as he cut a quick glance down at his daughter and noticed that she was—once again—poking her head out from behind his leg. Her face was covered by a protective, childish glare and her eyes were practically bursting with stubbornness, making it more than evident that she didn't admire Mrs. Nanako's attitude _at all. _

The Wolf Man then cut another quick glance over to his son, automatically recalling how he was sick—even though that fact had never slipped his mind to begin with. The seven-month-old was still swaddled in the pale red quilt, lightly moving his little limbs around as he drew in more congested breaths through his nose and continued to make small noises that were typical for a baby. Needless to say, looking at his two children only made the thought of having Mrs. Ruto visit the apartment again even _more _stressful for the dark-haired man.

"No..." Ookami murmured to himself, sounding awfully drained and crestfallen.

"I suggest singing your children a lullaby, putting them back to bed, and then getting some sleep yourself. Perhaps, if you're lucky, you'll be able to get up early enough to _actually_ clean yourself up." Mrs. Nanako advised, not seeming to show any care for the dark-haired man's sudden change in attitude. "I _highly_ doubt that you would want to be in Mrs. Ruto's presence with such an _extreme_ amount of facial hair."

Ookami nearly grimaced at the mention of his stubble, just as he lifted his head back up and continued to peek out the narrow gap. Between Yuki, Ame, and all of the daily tasks that he had around the apartment, he hadn't found the time to trim his facial hair lately. So, much to the Wolf Man's dismay, his stubble was _a lot_ thicker and _much_ more noticeable.

"Now, as much as I've _thoroughly _enjoyed having this conversation with you," Mrs. Nanako declared sarcastically, giving her eyes yet another roll. "I'm sure that my husband is waiting for me to return. _Goodnight, _Mr. Matsu."

With that, the older woman removed her hand from the opposite side of the door and turned her body to the right, getting ready to walk off. However, before she could manage to take her first step...

"Mrs. Nanako, wait...!"

… Ookami had quickly opened the door all the way again, having those words fly out of his mouth almost immediately after they had first entered his mind. His face was now covered by an expression that looked completely vulnerable, which only made it hard to believe that he had been advertising mostly nonchalant and serious behavior all throughout the prior conversation. His eyes were like mirrors, suddenly reflecting his millions of overwhelmed thoughts, and they watched as Mrs. Nanako froze in her tracks almost instantly.

She huffed. Then, as she rolled her head back over in the Wolf Man's direction, she raised an eyebrow at him and said, "What is it, Mr. Matsu? I believe that you've already made it pretty clear that—"

"Please..." Ookami cut her off, softly shaking his head. "_Don't_ go to Mrs. Ruto for any of this..."

Mrs. Nanako _already _appeared to be bored, the look on her face making it difficult to tell whether or not she had even listened to the dark-haired man's plea. Nevertheless, after a couple of seconds, she twisted her body back around in the direction of the door and—once again—folded her arms over her chest.

"And why shouldn't I?" Mrs. Nanako inquired.

"Because this night has just been _one thing _after _another _for me...!"

As soon as she heard that sentence leave the Wolf Man's mouth, the older woman ended up giving her eyes another roll.

"Mr. Matsu, I _really _don't wish to attend a pity party at this time—"

"It's _not _a pity party." Ookami retorted, his voice sounding like it was drenched in a mixture of disappointment, exhaustion, and desperation. "Please, Mrs. Nanako. Just … just _listen_ to what I have to say..."

The older lady hesitated, straightening her lips as she continued to look into the dark-haired man's eyes. She waited a couple of seconds, right before she turned her head to look down towards the right end of the building's outdoor hall—as if checking to make sure that there wasn't anybody else in sight. After that, she exhaled through her nose and locked her bland gaze back on the Wolf Man.

"Very well, Mr. Matsu. I'll give you _one more minute._ Now, what on _earth_ is it?"

"I-I understand that my children can be rather noisy at times and that they have the habit of _unintentionally_ causing disturbances...!" Ookami began hectically, only stumbling over his first word since he was surprised by how Mrs. Nanako had _actually_ agreed to give him a minute to explain. "But I'm afraid to say that you're _completely_ overlooking the differences in our families...!"

Mrs. Nanako squinted, not seeming to know whether to appear more confused or more unconvinced.

"And how exactly am I doing _that?_"

"U-uwahh!" Ame cried out all of the sudden, beginning to whine yet again. "W-w-wuhh! A-ahh!"

Without taking his eyes away from the older woman, Ookami reacted by immediately lifting his right hand back up to his son's head. Then, as he placed it there and gently began to massage it through the quilt, the dark-haired man released a heavy sigh. Although, he couldn't really tell if it was a _relieved_ sigh or a _stressed_ sigh … because he had _just_ managed to stop Ame from turning his head and exposing his wolf form to Mrs. Nanako. Plus, by starting to rub his head, the seven-month-old's whines had calmed down … but that didn't change how the Wolf Man was still _highly _overwhelmed. He _had_ to convince Mrs. Nanako to _not _go to the landlady … and he—obviously—had to do it _without _revealing the fact that he was raising wolf children.

"You said that you raised five kids … and here I am, raising two..." Ookami said, in which he cut a glance down at Yuki, another glance down at Ame, and then locked his attention back on Mrs. Nanako. "I agree, you probably _are_ the one who knows more about bringing up children. After all, you have more experience … but you also have something else that I don't..."

"Which is?" Mrs. Nanako inquired, keeping her eyes narrowed in thought.

Ookami opened his mouth to respond … but when no words came out, he ended up slowly reeling his jaw back in. In that moment, memories started trampling through his brain like a stampede of wild horses … and every last one somehow involved Hana. He recalled _everything—_when Hana had snuck him into the university's library, when he had caught a large bird during a late-night hunt and brought it back to the apartment for homemade soup, when Hana had told him that she was pregnant with both of their children, and the list could go on for miles. However, it didn't take long until the devastating events from _that _night bled into the romantic and cheerful memories.

The Wolf Man's lips quivered, falling into a helpless frown as he felt all of the fragile wounds getting torn open again on his heart. They were a thousand times more painful than what they were on the day that they were caused, no longer being numbed by denial or adrenaline. Meanwhile, the upsetting memories flashed through his mind like a graphic slideshow—Hana's lifeless body, the sight of blood tinting the water in the canal, the paramedics delivering the tragic news, and him breaking down into a sobbing mess in the street.

Ookami closed his eyes, a shiver running through his body as he recalled the freezing downpour that had been occurring on the night of Hana's death. The inside of his throat also began to feel like it was getting poked with barbed wire, especially when he remembered trudging all the way back to the apartment and later locating Hana's student ID in her purse. To this day, her student ID was _still _on the windowsill in the apartment's main room … and no matter how much time went by, Ookami wasn't _ever _planning on putting it elsewhere.

"Come on, Mr. Matsu, spit it out!" Mrs. Nanako ordered, snapping the dark-haired man out of his thoughts. "I'm not a mind reader and I don't have—"

"While you were raising your children, you had your husband _right there_ by your side … and the two of you were able to _work together._ Even today, he's _still _around..." Ookami pointed out, just as he lifted his head, opened his eyes, and made eye contact with the older lady again. "_My_ true love was taken … and not just from _me,_ but from _our son_ and_ daughter_, too. Now, I'm _all_ that they got … and even though it has been_ seven months_ since Hana's tragedy, I still remember _every single detail_ of it like it was yesterday..."

At the mention of Hana, Mrs. Nanako's eyes widened a little and her skin appeared to grow a couple of shades paler. Despite how she was an awfully bitter woman who seemed to harshly criticize everyone that she came across, Hana had been one of those rare people who never seemed to get on Mrs. Nanako's negative side. Plus, since they were living in a specific part of Japan that was known fairly well for its safety, it didn't take long before the news of Hana's death was spread around. So, that explained how Mrs. Nanako knew about the tragedy.

"Hana was my diamond in the rough. She was a _great _mate and an even _greater _mother. During our daughter's first year of life, we worked together on raising her—just like I'm sure that you and your husband did with _your_ children. However, just _two hours_ after she had given birth to our son, she had insisted on going out to get groceries and … that—that was it. She _never_ got to come back home, leaving _me _to raise our children on my own..." Ookami went on, somehow managing to not shed any tears—even with his heart and throat aching. "My point is, Mrs. Nanako … I'm _still _trying to get the hang of all of this. Being a single parent isn't _anywhere near_ a walk in the park and this is my first time _ever_ dealing with one of my children being sick _without_ Hana's help..."

"W-well, uh..." Mrs. Nanako coughed a little, pretending to clear her throat. "Have you ever considered … you know, reaching out to your _parents_ for assistance?"

As soon as the word "parents" left the older lady's mouth, the Wolf Man could've sworn that he felt _another_ wound on his heart get ripped open. The brutal images from his nightmare came tumbling back into his mind almost immediately, reminding him of the sharp scents of blood, smoke, and burning rubber. They made Ookami's stomach feel as if a brick was now sitting in it … but he ignored that feeling as much as he could.

"I, um … I'm afraid that my parents are no longer with us either. Like I said before, I'm _all _that my children got..." Ookami declared with slight regret now sprinkled into his voice. "Mrs. Nanako … I _know _that I'm not the world's greatest father … but I'm still _trying._ I'm _trying _to take care of my son and daughter. I'm _trying _to be the best provider that I can possibly be for the two of them. Like any parent, I want _nothing _but the best for them … so, all I ask is for you to _not_ go to Mrs. Ruto about this. Just … give my family another chance … _please..._"

By the end of the Wolf Man's monologue, Mrs. Nanako looked like a deer that had been caught in headlights. Her bitterness had visibly melted away, leaving behind a look of utter disbelief and slight awkwardness. Not only that, but at the realization that Ookami's parents were _also _deceased, her skin had become _another _shade whiter. By that point, it might as well have been a miracle that she hadn't become translucent. She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, clearly trying to come up with some type of response … but when she detected the sound of Ame beginning to let out a couple of more fragile coughs, that was it. Her mind was made up.

"Ugh … alright, _fine..._" Mrs. Nanako said at last, somewhat grumbling in compliance. "I'll give your family _one more _chance, Mr. Matsu … and that means that I _won't _go to Mrs. Ruto to file any complaints about tonight's events. However, in return, I _expect_ to be able to get through the rest of the night without having mine or my husband's slumber rudely disturbed again. Do I make myself clear?"

The Wolf Man released a small breath, his eyes slightly growing as he was rendered speechless. His whole body felt like it was seconds away from beginning to float off the ground, courtesy of how a majority of the weight had lifted off his shoulders right then and there. Although, at the same time, there was a heaviness in the pit of his stomach, keeping him where he was like an anchor would do for a ship. The heaviness had been caused by his bewilderment, which was triggered by the older woman _actually_ agreeing to let him, Yuki, and Ame off the hook for all of the commotion that they had caused.

"Well?!" Mrs. Nanako exclaimed after a moment of silence went by.

The dark-haired man faintly jolted. "Huh...?"

"I asked you if I had made myself clear!" Mrs. Nanako repeated, just as she placed her hands firmly against her hips. "Were you even listening?!"

"O-oh! Yes! Yes, I was! You made yourself as clear as crystal, Mrs. Nanako!" Ookami assured, mustering up a small smile that turned out to be rather sheepish. "I promise, I'll make sure that my kids and I stay quiet for the rest of the night. You and your husband _won't_ be disturbed again."

"Good. I'll be _holding_ you to that promise … and if you end up breaking it, don't forget that this is your family's _final _warning from me. Next time, I _won't_ hesitate to go to Mrs. Ruto."

Just like that, the Wolf Man's small grin wavered … because—deep down inside—he knew that he wouldn't be able to _always _prevent Yuki and Ame from making noise. Plus, he had _just_ witnessed any sympathy from Mrs. Nanako dry up and transform right back into her typical bitterness—literally within less than a minute. So, it was rather evident that sooner or later, she was going to be back to complain about something else … and he was more than likely going to have to repeat this entire process.

"I'll do my best to make sure that there _isn't _a next time..." Ookami declared, bowing his head since he knew that Hana would've wanted to show at least _some_ gratitude in a moment like that. "Thank you for agreeing to give my family another chance. I really _do_ appreciate it."

"Mmm-hmm..." Mrs. Nanako buzzed her lips, clearly not affected by the dark-haired man's respectful gesture. "Just keep everything up here _quiet _for the rest of the night … and with that, I have nothing more to say to you. _Goodnight, _Mr. Matsu."

Normally, in a moment like that, Ookami would've been rolling his eyes in annoyance or grumbling a snarky comment under his breath. However, when he slowly lifted his head back up and watched as Mrs. Nanako proceeded to walk off … every single inch of his body was overcome by an intense amount of _relief. _It was as if he had just taken a drug—or so the Wolf Man imagined, considering how he had _never_ come in contact with any type of narcotic in his _entire_ life.

Ookami poked his head outside, refusing to blink as he continued to watch Mrs. Nanako. He wanted to make sure that she wasn't going to try making any moves to turn back around … but after realizing that she—indeed—_was_ retreating to her own apartment, Ookami didn't think twice before pulling himself back inside. After that, the Wolf Man quickly closed the door, redid the chain, and fumbled around with each of the locks. Within seconds, the door was fully secure.

When that was over, Ookami turned around and rested his back against the door. His dark blue eyes were still slightly larger than normal, making it obvious that he was caught up in trying to process _everything_ that had just happened. Then, with the overwhelming amount of relief still pulsating through his body … Ookami let out a heavy breath that he hadn't even realized that he had been holding and ended up sliding down the door. He plopped right down on his butt, his back still positioned against the door and his son still resting safely in his right arm.

"Daddy?!" Yuki yelped almost immediately after her father had slumped to the floor.

Ookami immediately lifted his head, seeing his daughter now stationed near his feet with a look of pure worry and shock on her face. As a result of this, he didn't hesitate to offer her the most reassuring smile that he could muster in that moment. Meanwhile, his heart was racing and his whole body felt like it was vibrating—as if he had just finished drinking a few dozen cups of coffee. It almost made him completely forget about his muscle spasm, which was _still _spreading an incredible amount of discomfort through his right leg. For the time being, it was just being numbed by the Wolf Man's powerful blend of relief and astonishment.

"Don't worry, princess. I'm okay." Ookami said, making sure that he sounded just as promising as he looked. "I just … I just need a moment to sit down. That's all."

Yuki seated herself on her knees—like a puppy would do when begging for a treat. Then, with her gaze never breaking away from her dad, her face was taken over by an expression that was much more grumpy and childish.

"That old lady was a meanie to you...!"

Ookami let out a sigh, unable to resist giving his head a couple of faint nods.

"Yeah, I know … but even Daddy has to admit that she has a point about us needing to be more quiet—especially at a time like this."

While talking, the Wolf Man carefully shifted Ame—who was _still_ making small noises—out of his upright position and proceeded to cradle him like a newborn. By doing that, the seven-month-old's face was exposed once again … and, to no surprise, he was _still _in the form of a blue-haired wolf pup. The paler portions of his fur were still accompanied by a vibrant shade of scarlet, while his hair was still prickled with sweat and his dull blue nose was still leaking with snot. His father had successfully managed to keep his wolf form hidden from Mrs. Nanako … and now, Ookami was going to have to—yet again—focus on nursing his son back to health.

"Don't worry, Ame … Daddy's going to take care of you _right now._" Ookami whispered, right before he flicked his attention back over to his first-born child. "Yuki, I'm going to need you to stay by my side while I attend to your brother, okay? I don't want you wandering out of my sight anymore tonight."

Yuki gave an understanding nod, her stubborn expression fading away as she responded with, "Okay, Daddy."

"That's my girl. Now … let's head back into the kitchen and get Ame to transform back into a human."

* * *

_To be continued..._


	5. Author's Note - Not An Update

**Author's Note**

Hello, my beautiful viewers.

Unfortunately, in case it isn't already obvious, this _isn't _the next chapter of "Hana & Ookami: Roles Switched." With that being said, I would like to apologize for possibly getting anybody's hopes up. After all, I'm perfectly aware that it has been nearly _four months _since my previous update and I really _do _hate making you all have to wait for my updates. I'm also not the type of person who enjoys posting Author's Notes that are separate from my _actual _chapters. However, with everything that has been going on, I felt the need to let all of you know what has been happening with me.

First of all, I want to make sure that it's known that I am _not _abandoning this story! I seriously _love _working on "Hana & Ookami: Roles Switched," just like love the amount of people who _already_ seem to be enjoying it. So, _please _don't mistake this Author's Note as my way of saying that I'm quitting this story—because I'm _not. _Once again, I'm _not _abandoning "Hana & Ookami: Roles Switched."

As a matter of fact, I had officially started writing the newest chapter on January 15th and I am pleased to announce that it is coming along. It might not be coming at the speed in which I would _like_ it to come, considering how I'm still in the beginning portion of the overall chapter … but all that matters is that I _am _working on it. My second semester of college had started on January 21st, which meant that—after less than a week of trying to get back into the full swing of working on the next chapter—I was juggling material for all four of my newest classes and I didn't have as much time as I would like to dedicate to my writing. Nonetheless, with this being my third year of college, I was already aware that I was going to have to find ways to balance my academic life and free time—which, of course, included my writing. I was _fairly_ prepared, courtesy of how this wasn't my first college-related rodeo … but then, as I'm sure that all of you already know, we were hit with the news about the Coronavirus.

Before spring break, my campus had decided to cancel the last day of classes. Then, not long after that, the whole school declared that it was going to shut down for the rest of the semester. This means that my latest classes—Statistics, Adolescent Development, Intro to Ecology, and Critical Thinking—have been moved _online … _and I have _never _handled online classes before. Granted, in the past, I had been thinking of trying them out; but I had _never _thought that _this _was how it was going to happen.

Now, not only am I being required to get used to the abrupt changes in my classes, but I've also been handling _plenty _of housework. My specific location is currently on lockdown, which means that _nobody_ is allowed to leave their homes unless it's _absolutely necessary._ My _entire _spring break has been _nothing_ but my family and I staying in our house. Of course, I can understand _why _this was necessary to do … but I'm afraid that even though I was home, I _still _wasn't able to engage in my writing sessions as often as I would've liked.

There has been _a lot _of repainting, reorganizing, and overall repairs that have been going on at my house. This means that my attention has_—clearly—_been preoccupied and my brain hasn't been able to focus _specifically_ on my stories, despite how I desperately wish that it _would._

In addition to all of that, whenever I _was _able to find the time to sit down and get on my laptop, I found myself lacking inspiration and I wasn't able to get myself to write hardly at all. In case any of you don't know this, my dear viewers, writing stories takes _a lot _of physical and mental energy—especially for me. With that being said, I would appreciate it if you all would remain patient with me when it comes to updates. I can promise you all, I'm doing my absolute best and I'm _not _abandoning this story. :)

Fortunately, nobody in my family is ill and we are managing to get through this difficult time just fine. However, with the changes in my academic schedule and everything else that has been going on, I felt the need to let all of you in on what I've been up to. I am _not _trying to slack on my writing, nor do I wish to. On the contrary, I try my hardest to search for inspiration _every single day _in order to help me get back into my writing sessions whenever I have the time. Although, this is _much _easier said than done … and I've come to learn that inspiration is something that usually comes to you when you're _not _trying so hard to look for it. So, whenever I'm _not _assisting my family with housework or watching over my dog at night, I'm doing my best in just sitting back and letting the inspiration come to me—and you know what? It _has _been coming back to me. Again, not as quickly as I would like it to, but small progress is _still _progress.

I can promise you all, my wonderful audience, that "Hana & Ookami: Roles Switched" _isn't _going anywhere. It's just taking more time to plan out and officially put together as the result of everything that is currently going on in the world. Believe me, I'm working as hard as possible whenever the inspiration strikes … and I appreciate you all for understanding that I have other responsibilities to juggle. Have no fear, okay? My updates, despite being random, will continue and this story _isn't_ going to just disappear. It just requires time to work on, so please acknowledge that.

Oh! By the way, I also felt the need to point out an error that I made in the first chapter. In the first chapter, I had said that Yuki was one; but after doing my math (which isn't exactly my _greatest_ subject), I realized that she should've already been _two_ by the time in which Ame was born. Here is my explanation:

**Yuki was born in December (in my version), courtesy of how her birthday is only known to be in the winter. In the movie, she declares that Ame was born the following spring. I interpreted that as a year going by, meaning that Yuki had turned one ****_before_**** Ame was brought into the world. This is because it would've been impossible for Ame to have been conceived and born within the four-to-five months that follows Yuki's birth. So, six months after Yuki turns one, Ame is conceived in June. This would mean that another December would go by, making Yuki ****_two_**** instead of ****_one_**** at the time of Ame's birth. Then, in the month of March, considering how we only know that Ame is born in spring, he is brought into the world (again, in my version). Thus, seven months after Ame's birth is the current time period in the previous chapter, as well as the upcoming one ("The Healer")—the month of October, to be exact. At last, in the present time (again, in regards only to parts one and two of "The Healer"), Yuki is two and Ame is seven months.**

… You would all be surprised by just how _long_ that took me to figure out. XD

Keep in mind, I had said before that math _isn't _my best subject. In fact, it's the subject that I _despise_ the most. For this story, I even have to look up how many days are between every single specific month and year. That way, I can label what day it is and show what all Ookami is going through with every passing day that's involved with him being a single parent. Yes, I'm _that _committed to my writing … and even though a majority of people more than likely don't obsess—or, at the very least, even _notice—_these specific errors, I still wish to correct them and include as many details as possible. I'm sure that you all know by now that I _love _being descriptive. So, I take even the slightest details _very _seriously … and if there are anymore math-related errors that come up during the story, please pardon them. I do my best in checking over my work and making sure that the numbers are all correct before writing them out; but I'm definitely _not _perfect.

Sometimes, writing just a _couple_ of paragraphs—like two or three, for example—can take me up to _a_ _whole day_ to do … and not because I don't _wish_ to write. On the contrary, it's commonly the result of my lack of time, inspiration, or overall physical/mental energy. Plus, I'm sure that you all can tell by the length of chapters that they _definitely_ require time to piece together in my mind, as well as officially type out. Don't get me wrong though; I absolutely _love _being descriptive. In my opinion, even the _tiniest_ of details can make the story _much _more enjoyable to read. With that being said, I plan on taking my time in order to make sure that my chapters are actually _worth the wait. _Trust me, I understand _perfectly_ well just how difficult it can be to wait, especially when a story seems to be on a _great _roll; but I simply _can't_ write when I'm physically/mentally exhausted or genuinely _not_ in the mood to do so. To be honest, I've tried doing that a _numerous_ times in the past and I'm afraid that it never got me anywhere. It only resulted in me feeling even _more _overwhelmed and guilty … and that reminds me of something else:

I'm a perfectionist when it comes to my writing, which means that I hold myself to some _pretty high_ standards ... and I know for a fact that there's at least a couple of people out there who think that I don't take the time to think about my audience hardly at all. There's _always _those types of people in the world … but guess what? I find myself thinking about all of you on a _daily basis—_and that's not an exaggeration! It's not at all uncommon for me to sit there and tell myself in my mind that I _need _to get back to working on "Hana & Ookami: Roles Switched" because all of you are waiting eagerly for more. I literally think that at least once _every single day …_ so, I can guarantee that I _do_ think about all of you. As my loyal viewers, all of you are simply _amazing _and I want nothing more than to deliver more chapters for you all to enjoy. However, as much as I wish that I could update "Hana & Ookami: Roles Switched" every single day, I know that I can't do that. My chapters take _plenty _of time to work on … and in the end, despite how fatigued and annoyed I can feel from how long I take to update, you all make it worthwhile. I absolutely _love _writing for you guys and that will _never _change. All I ask in return is for all of you to remain patient with me … because I'm _not _abandoning this story.

Anyway, my fellow readers, I believe that I have stated everything that I felt the need to let you all in on at this time. I am hoping to continue working on the next chapter of "Hana & Ookami: Roles Switched" _very _soon. In the meantime, I'll also be continuing to assist my family in household duties and preparing myself to start the online versions of my classes. Nevertheless, no matter what happens, the story _will _go on. :)

Remember, wash your hands, stay indoors, and be safe! No matter what happens, we'll get through this difficult time together.

God bless you all, my fantastic viewers. I love you and I'll be sure to keep working on "Hana & Ookami: Roles Switched" as soon as I can!

Never give in and never give up! *Insert heart emojis here*

Crystalteen, out.


	6. The Single Parent

**A/N: Hey, my beautiful viewers! :D :D**

**So ... after _four months _of being unable to find the time to write or locate any inspiration, I _finally _managed to sit down and feel that familiar spark inside of me! In case any of you haven't read the Author's Note that I posted as an update (which I'll be keeping up for the time being), please go back and do so. It'll explain _everything _that had been going on with me during the four months in which I was unable to write****—including school, renovations around my house, and a variety of other responsibilities. Once again, if any of you are wondering _why _I was gone for four months, read the prior Author's Note ... because I _really _don't wish to have to write all of that out again. **

**Now, before we begin _this _chapter, allow me to explain a couple of things! **

**First of all, I'm _aware _****that this chapter is called "The Single Parent." I can already tell that some of you (if not _all_****) are probably wondering _why _this chapter isn't part two of "The Healer." Well, that's because****—in this chapter****—I included a scene that turned out to be _much _longer than I had originally thought it would be. This chapter _was _supposed to be part two of "The Healer" ... but since that particular scene turned out to be _so long, _I didn't see how I was supposed to incorporate the remaining scenes that I had without making this chapter _excessively _long. So, I decided to splice the chapter and use this as an "intervention," I guess you could say, from "The Healer." **

**This chapter turned out to be over 25,750 words and I still had about _five additional scenes _****to write for part two of "The Healer." Clearly, that would make the chapter _way _****too lengthy****—at least, _this_ early on in the story. So, after _plenty_ of rearranging, I settled that part two of "the Healer" will be the _next _chapter. Then, "The Protector" will be after _that. _Again, this chapter is more of an "intervention," courtesy of how long one particular scene turned out to be. Something tells me that you will all know what that scene is when you get there... XD**

**Also, I wanted to apologize for how long my chapters can be. I understand that not _everybody _probably admires lengthy chapters ... but I actually _prefer_ writing my chapters the way that I do. Not only do I genuinely _love _putting together long chapters, but I also love the idea of making the chapter _worth the wait._ Thus, in _my_ mind, providing all of you with lengthy updates is _much _better than delivering short updates****—especially in times like this. With that being said, if any of you _hate_ how long my chapters often turn out to be ... I'm sorry for that. However, I'm _not_ planning to change that about my updates anytime soon. **

**In addition to that, I would also like to apologize in case anybody is thinking I add "too much" of my own material. For example, "The Healer" revolves around Ame getting sick and that _isn't _in the movie. It's something that _I _came up with and wished to add into the plot; but keep in mind, one of the main points of this story is to show how _different _everything would be if Ookami was the one who was left to raise Ame and Yuki on his own. There's _going_ to be changes, which means that there _will _be moments of my own incorporated all throughout the story. I want to fill in as many holes as possible and****—once again****—make the story more enjoyable to read. So, even though we're still in the beginning portion of the film, _please_ understand that adding my own material to the plot is necessary. As of now, I'm ninety-nine percent certain that we _will _be following the movie again by the end of the next chapter.**

**Now, why is this chapter called "The Single Parent," you might be asking? It's because, even though Hana has been gone for seven months, this chapter consists of the moment in which it's _truly_ sinking in for Ookami that he's now a single parent. It'll make more sense as you read! ;)**

**Aside from all of that, I wanted to point out two mistakes that I made in the story! Here they are:**

**1) In part one of "The Healer," I address Mrs. Nanako as "Mrs. Nakano" a few times. That's because that was _meant_ to be her name, but as the scene wore on, I ended up switching the letters on accident. I got tired and didn't really notice. So, I decided that "Mrs Nakano" is officially Mrs. Nanako instead.**

**2) In "The Accident," I got Yuki's age wrong. She's _not _****one. Instead, she's supposed to be ****_two. _****Yuki was born in December (in my version), courtesy of how her birthday is only known to be in the winter. In the movie, she declares that Ame was born the following spring. I interpreted that as a year going by, meaning that Yuki had turned one ****_before_**** Ame was brought into the world. This is because it would've been impossible for Ame to have been conceived and born within the four-to-five months that follows Yuki's birth. So, six months after Yuki turns one, Ame is conceived in June. This would mean that another December would go by, making Yuki ****_two_**** instead of ****_one_**** at the time of Ame's birth. Then, in the month of March, considering how we only know that Ame is born in spring, he is brought into the world (again, in my version). Thus, seven months after Ame's birth is the current time period in this chapter and both parts of "The Healer"—the month of October, to be exact. At last, in the present time (again, in regards only to this chapter and both parts of "The Healer"), Yuki is two and Ame is seven months.**

**Next, I received a guest review that said this: "Please don't become one of those fanfics that doesn't upload in forever. I beg of you. Don't go to the dark side!" Firstly, I would like to take the time to thank this person—as well as everybody else—who has taken the time to post reviews. It means _a lot_ that I have _so many_ people who are fans of "Hana & Ookami: Roles Switched" ... but _please _understand that my chapters genuinely take time to work on. They require _plenty _of energy—both physical and mental—for me to put together. If I could, I wouldn't hesitate to post a chapter every single day ... but that's simply impossible for me. With that being said, please rest in the reassurance that I am _not _****abandoning this story—no matter how long my updates might take at times. Sometimes, I simply lack the time and/or inspiration ... but that's **_**okay.** _**Sooner or later, the inspiration _always _comes back and time will be found when it's meant to be. So, don't worry. This story isn't going _anywhere. _:)**

**After I post this chapter, I'll be taking the whole month of May off. This is because I'm officially in my final few weeks of classes and I need to make sure that I keep on top of homework and final exams. Plus, I need to give myself the chance to recharge and come up with a firmer mental plan for the next chapter. And let's not forget that I'll be turning twenty-one on May 25th! So, I'll be wanting to spend time with my family and celebrate with them on that day! :D If I had to guess, I'll be working on the next chapter by mid-to-late June****—especially since I've been working on this chapter _every single day _since I posted that prior Author's Note****. With that being said, please be patient with me! It is greatly appreciated! :)**

**In this chapter: Ever since he lost Hana, Ookami has acknowledged that he's now alone on this journey that's known as parenthood. However, _a lot_ of stuff is beginning to sink ... and it's ****stuff that the Wolf Man hadn't even paid much attention to****—****until now.**

**Everyone, _please_ keep in mind that reviews make my day! I _always_ look forward to your feedback and I appreciate it more than words could _possibly _describe! So, don't hold back on sharing your thoughts in the reviews or you can PM them to me at anytime! Thanks again, everyone! Please review and feed my inspiration! :D :D**

**Anyway, I believe that I stated everything that I wanted to say. It's time for the next chapter of "Hana & Ookami: Roles Switched," so I hope that you're all ready!**

**Happy reading, everyone! Much love from me to all of you! Enjoy! *Heart emojis***

* * *

**Wolf Children: Roles Switched Series (4) ~ The Single Parent**

* * *

Instead of returning to the kitchen right away, Ookami ended up needing a couple of more minutes to remain seated at the front door. By that point, the pain from his muscle spasm had dropped down to a level that was _much _more tolerable. Granted, it _still_ felt like there was a sore knot that was trying to protrude from his right calf; but it no longer made the dark-haired man's nerves feel as though they were getting repeatedly jabbed with a bunch of pointy needles. Plus, the unpleasant waves of heat that Ookami had been experiencing in the surrounding parts of his targeted muscle had _finally _began to cool down—as if they had previously been sat on fire and had _just_ been extinguished.

Eventually, after an additional five or so minutes of staying slumped on the floor, Ookami was able to clamber back up onto his feet. Needless to say, he still felt rightfully overwhelmed and fatigued from everything that had been happening within that hour—Ame's fever, Mrs. Nanako's stressful visit, Yuki's accident with the vase, and not to mention his most recent nightmare. Although, regardless of the amount of pressure that was weighing down on his shoulders, the Wolf Man knew that he couldn't just give up. As the single parent to his two wolf children, it was his _duty_ to keep pushing forward … and in order to do that, Ookami understood that—even though it _wasn't_ easy—he was going to have to take as much control as he could and get through his first ever experience of having to take care of a sick child all on his own.

So, as he did his best to push the shattered vase and his conversation with Mrs. Nanako to the back of his mind, Ookami hobbled through the apartment's main room and returned to the disheveled kitchen. He _still _had a slight limp, but only because there were still some aching sensations that were pulsating through the area of his right leg that had been victimized by the muscle spasm. As embarrassing as the description might've sounded, the Wolf Man knew that he most likely looked like he was trying to walk with a stick inserted in a place where it _didn't _belong. Nonetheless, he _still _refused to allow his discomfort to get in the way of him taking care of his son.

Yuki followed her dad back into the kitchen and easily hoisted herself back up onto the chair that she had been standing on previously. She then proceeded to observe Ookami's every move, seeming to notice how he was still placing a majority of his weight on his right leg and making his left leg commit to very little work. Although, since she was only two and her father had told her beforehand that he was going to be okay, Yuki didn't put much thought into it.

Meanwhile, Ame continued to make small noises. They sounded like the typical coos that were expected from an infant, mixed together with the curious whimpers of a baby wolf. His short claws raked against the fabric of Ookami's black tank top, courtesy of the seven-month-old placing his front paws against his father's chest and squirming around like a worm on a hook. It was clear that Ame was trying to get out of the quilt, which was still loosely wrapped around his frail body like a cocoon.

"There, there, son..." Ookami murmured as he finally made it back over to the table.

After that, he peeled the quilt off of his son and dropped it onto the table, reuniting it with the rest of the disorganized laundry. Then, upon returning his hand to the back of Ame's head, Ookami carefully leaned him back and lowered him back down into the laundry basket—which, in that moment, might as well have been a bassinet. Now, the seven-month-old was—once again—lying against the thick, soft, white towel that was still folded neatly at the bottom of the bin.

Ame continued to let out delicate coos and other sounds, batting his wet lashes in confusion as he stared up at his father. His pure, toffee-colored eyes were still rimmed with tears and small drops of sweat were still sprinkled all throughout his dark blue hair. He was also—needless to say—_still_ in the form of a wolf pup.

"Now, where did I put that—?"

Ookami looked underneath a couple of mismatched rags that he had swiped up from the floor a little earlier, trying to maintain a calm exterior as he searched eagerly for his son's toy. He almost felt compelled to punch himself upside the head, considering how he knew that it couldn't have just _magically_ come to life and hopped off the table when he had been talking to Mrs. Nanako. Luckily, before the Wolf Man had been able to finish grumbling his prior question under his breath, he ended up cutting himself off when he discovered the new whereabouts of Ame's doll. Its wolf-like head poked out from the crumpled laundry, almost making it hard for the dark-haired man to believe that he had almost misplaced it _that_ easily.

"Ah, there it is..." Ookami muttered as the tension left his shoulders, allowing them to slowly droop in relief. "Thank God, I thought I lost it..."

After that, despite how he felt the tips of his ears burning a little in embarrassment, the Wolf Man began to reach his hand out towards the avalanche of laundry. His gaze never left the wolf-like head of his son's plushie ... but just as Ookami's fingers were nothing more than just a couple of inches away from it, the dark-haired man found himself coming to a halt. His hand froze, but stayed right where it was ... and the Wolf Man's dark blue eyes suddenly began to glimmer in thought. It was more than evident that he was starting to recall a memory, a distant look forming on his face as he continued to stare at Ame's plush toy.

"Hana..." Ookami whispered after a couple of seconds ... and just like that, he was caught up in reliving a moment that had taken place nine months previously.

* * *

**_Nine Months Earlier..._**

* * *

_"When I had first found out that I was going to become a big sister, I was** thrilled.** I couldn't wait to have somebody else in the apartment to play with and__—at some point—__socialize with. I can't seem to remember myself fixating on whether the new baby was going to be a boy or a girl ... because I don't think that I **ever** got caught up in thinking about that. But when it came to Mom and Dad ... they couldn't seem to go a **day** without wondering what their second child was going to be..." ~ Yuki_

* * *

"_'But gnarbles never swam that high, their fins were much too small. Their tails were thin and floppy, which didn't help at all.'" Ookami read out loud, his lips molded into a sleepy grin with the bold shades of orange, yellow, red, and blue practically jumping out at him from the book that he was quoting. __"'This gnarble liked his fins and had no problem with his tail. So, when he woke, he knew that he just couldn't, wouldn't fail.'"_

_When the Wolf Man reached the final word, he waited for his daughter to turn the page for him__—like she always did. He waited a couple of seconds, thinking that she was caught up in admiring the colorful picture of the eel-like creature that was swimming above its little bed in the sea. However, after nearly reaching ten seconds, Ookami decided to lower his head to see what the hold up was. As soon as he looked down, he saw that Yuki was curled up almost entirely into a ball. She was still sitting on her father's left leg, but her knees were now tucked into her chest and her arms were lying like lazy noodles at her sides. Not only that, but Yuki was also lounging back in Ookami's unoccupied arm, as if she was a baby that was being cradled. Her eyes were shut, her chest was delicately rising and falling, and her mouth was hanging wide open. There was even a little bit of drool that had formed along the left corner of Yuki's lips ... and to tie it all together, her head was rolled to the side and resting against her dad's body._

_At the realization that his daughter was now fast asleep, Ookami couldn't tell whether he felt more surprised or accomplished. He froze for a moment, wanting to make sure that his eyes weren't playing any tricks on him. Then, after confirming that Yuki was—indeed—snoozing, he lifted his head back up and glanced over at the digital clock that was sitting on the edge of Hana's wardrobe. On it, the time read 9:15. It was an hour and fifteen minutes **after **Yuki's scheduled bedtime, which meant that the Wolf Man had been reading through children's books for **that **long. Normally, Ookami and Hana agreed that she was supposed to be in bed by eight ... but with every passing day, Yuki seemed to be growing more and more stubborn. So, in order to prevent her from possibly throwing one of her temper tantrums, Ookami decided that the best thing to do would be to read to her. He did this almost every single night, going through practically every children's book that he and Hana had in the apartment until Yuki would end up drifting off._

_Ever since the day that she was born, Yuki absolutely **loved **it when her parents read to her—especially when she had the opportunity to cuddle on their laps, study the colorful pictures, and turn the page for them. She would **always **be enthusiastic and eager, as if she was constantly high on sugar. Although, if there was one main thing that Ookami had learned from Hana, it was that patience was something that was **very **important to have. They had already tried using other methods in order to get Yuki to fall asleep, such as singing to her, giving her a warm glass of milk, tucking her in as snuggly as possible, and the list could keep going for miles. However, as beneficial as it was to know about all of these other techniques, they only seemed to work once in a blue moon for Yuki. So, instead of giving up and simply ordering her to go to bed, Ookami clung to his patience and agreed to read as many books as it took in order to get his daughter to fall asleep._

_On this particular night, the dark-haired man had read "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," "Where the Wild Things Are," "Goodnight Moon," and the list could—once again_—_continue for quite some time. He was where he always was during his reading sessions—sitting on the floor in his mate's bedroom with his back lined up against the side of the bed. He also had two stacks of children's books placed beside him, one of them being much taller than the other. The taller stack consisted of stories that the Wolf Man had already managed to read to his daughter, while the shorter stack was dedicated to books that he hadn't gotten to yet._

_Although, there was one storybook that might as well have stood out from all of the others. It was "The Journey of the Noble Gnarble" by Daniel Errico—Yuki's most favorite book in the entire apartment and the story that Ookami had been in the middle of reading. Every single day, he or Hana would have to read that book at least **once** because Yuki would be practically bouncing off the walls, begging for them to do so. In fact, Hana had already read "The Journey of the Noble Gnarble" earlier that day—five times in a row, to be exact. Meanwhile, Ookami had been handling the dishes and the most recent load of laundry ... but that didn't stop him from grinning ear-to-ear and shaking his head in amusement every time that he overheard Yuki chant, "Again, Momma! Read it again! Again, again!"_

_Now, amongst all of the other stories, the Wolf Man had agreed to read "The Journey of the Noble Gnarble" an additional **three **times. He had just started on his fourth round with the book, regardless of how sore his throat was from going through a whole hour and fifteen minutes of nonstop storytelling. He didn't quite understand the reason as to why Yuki loved **that **particular story so much, but all he knew was that it **always** managed to put one of the biggest smiles that he had **ever** seen on his daughter's face—and that was all that mattered to him._

_"Phew..." Ookami hung his head and exhaled in relief, right before he locked his gaze on the eel-like creature in the book again. "Noble Gnarble, you did it again..."_

_With that, the dark-haired man closed "The Journey of the Noble Gnarble" and sat it aside on the stack of unread books, knowing very well that his daughter would more than likely want to have it read to her at least a dozen more times the following day. After that, Ookami proceeded to pick himself up from the floor. His movements were slow and gentle, courtesy of how he didn't want to risk accidentally disturbing Yuki's slumber. Then, when he finished getting up, the Wolf Man turned around and faced the bed. Affection twinkled in his dark blue eyes as he stared down at his first-born child, watching as she continued to draw in one peaceful breath after another._

_"Okay, princess ... I'm already ninety-nine percent positive that we'll be doing this again tomorrow..." Ookami whispered with a couple of soft, warm chuckles incorporated into his words. "But as of now ... let's call it a night."_

_One of Yuki's hands twitched, indicating that she was in a deep sleep and in the middle of having a dream. As this happened, the Wolf Man carefully slipped his right hand underneath her head and began to lower her down onto the bed—his movements still steady and relaxed. He began to peel his other arm away from his daughter, gently sliding his left hand down her back and using it to support her bottom. Then, at last, Yuki came in contact with the bed and Ookami was able to drag his hands out from underneath her small body. As soon as he did, his daughter practically melted into the thick comforter, causing it to outline her frame in a manner that was __similar to what would happen to a person if they were to lie down in a thick layer of snow._

_Ookami bent down, retrieving the small, red and white, wolf-like doll that belonged to his first-born child. It had been sprawled across the floor, courtesy of how—earlier that day—Yuki had been in the form of a wolf pup, gnawing on it and happily tossing it all over the place. After picking it up, the dark-haired man also made sure to reach underneath the bed and pull out a spare, checkered quilt that was made out of cotton. Hana **always **made sure to store an extra blanket underneath the bed__—just in case there was a potty accident or Yuki had somehow managed to steal a majority of the comforter in her sleep. _

_Upon retrieving the spare quilt and his daughter's doll, the Wolf Man straightened himself back up and turned his head over in the direction of the window. It was rimmed with long icicles and the glass was coated in a sparkly layer of frost. Yet, that didn't stop the silvery beams of moonlight from pouring into the bedroom. It was the only source of light that Ookami had, which wasn't much of an issue since he—as a half-wolf individual—__possessed a stronger sense of sight. Plus, Hana's bedroom just so happened to be angled in the same direction as the moon. So, that meant that the moonlight was still fairly bright ... and outside, in the coldness of the night, the Wolf Man could see hundreds of snowflakes sprinkling down from the sky. Not only was the whole atmosphere beautiful, but it was **very **similar to the night in which Yuki had been born__._

_Ookami let out a soft breath of endearment, lowering his gaze back down to his daughter. As this happened, his fatigued smile grew a little and he began to recall every detail like it was yesterday. He remembered the exact time in which his true love's water had broke__—8:38 A.M. on the thirteenth day of December. He had been in the middle of preparing breakfast and he could even remember what he had been making—ham o__melettes with a side of bacon. Then, he suddenly heard Hana let out a noise that sounded like a mixture between a startled yelp and a nervous shriek. It wasn't long before she called out Ookami's name, the sound of her voice making it clear that it was go time. The Wolf Man had reacted almost instantly, turning off the stove and practically darting all the way back to his mate's bedroom at the speed of lightning. _

_He remembered being nothing but a **massive** bundle of nerves on the inside, despite how he had also made sure to maintain a calm exterior for the sake of Hana and their unborn baby. He remembered holding Hana's hand and helping her through every single contraction. He remembered going through the **hundreds** of different breathing exercises that he and his soulmate had read about, wanting to make sure that she stayed focused on him and not on the pain. He remembered providing foot rubs and shoulder massages. He remembered trying to help Hana cool down by feeding her ice chips, dabbing her face with a wet rag, and helping her unbutton her pajama shirt. He remembered feeling so anxious to the point where **he** was starting to get hot. He even remembered feeling tempted to open the window, but didn't ... because he didn't want to risk exposing Hana to the freezing temperature. Ookami remembered **all of that.** _

_For **fourteen hours**, he did his best to play the role of a doctor ... and even though it was more than evident that Hana was in an **incredible **amount of discomfort, she never complained **once.**_ _Ookami must've given her about a thousand examinations, wanting to make sure that she was dilating properly—like all of the pregnancy and labor books had described. Then, at last, as the evening began to settle in ... it **finally **happened. _

_According to various books that revolved around the birthing process, delivery for first-time mothers was typically expected to last an extra two-to-three hours. Although, that wasn't the case for Hana. She gasped for breath, grunted, and pushed for no longer than fifteen minutes ... and just like that—at 9:45 P.M._—_it was over. All of the pain and anxiety from that day had come to a halt, being chased away in the blink of an eye by the precious sound of a newborn baby's first cry. All the while, snowflakes were dancing down from the dark sky and making the whole city look like a scene from a Christmas card. _

_Ookami was the first one to welcome Yuki into the world, using a clean shoelace and a pair of blunt-tipped scissors to assist in removing the umbilical cord. Then, he handed her over to Hana to make sure that there was skin-to-skin contact__, which—the couple had read_—_was known to be beneficial for newborns._

_The dark-haired man remembered his daughter's rosy cheeks and her short strands of brownish hair. He also remembered the sound of her angelic coos and the overwhelming amount of pure joy that he felt. Discovering that Yuki was a girl and realizing that he—along with Hana—now had a daughter were, without a doubt, two of the **greatest** moments in Ookami's life. Needless to say, he couldn't stop himself from shedding a few tears that night._

_However, that was **two years** ago. Now, it was the beginning of the second week in January ... and that meant that Yuki had officially been a two-year-old for about three weeks. It was incredibly difficult for Ookami to believe, especially while standing in the same room and watching as she peacefully slept on the same bed that Hana had birthed her on. Plus, despite only being two, a lot had **already** seemed to change in regards of Yuki's appearance. Her cheeks weren't very rosy anymore, her hair had gotten longer and switched over to a brighter shade of auburn, and she was even losing her baby fat from running around so much. Regardless of how these might've seemed like little things, they were still a lot for Ookami to take in._

_"Oh, Yuki..." Ookami whispered, just as he reached his hand out and used his fingertips to gently brush a few stray strands of his daughter's hair out of her face. "Do Daddy a favor and try **not **growing up so fast, okay? I want you to stay my little munchkin for as long as you **possibly** can..."_

_The Wolf Man chuckled a little at his own words, despite how he truly meant them. Afterwards, with his lips still molded into a weary grin, he reached his opposite hand out and gently placed Yuki's wolf-like plushie in a small gap that was between her right arm and side. Almost immediately after this happened, the two-year-old curled her arm around the plush toy and almost seemed to hug it in her sleep. The sight was **beyond **adorable, filling Ookami's chest with a heavenly warmth as he then proceeded to unfold the spare quilt. He wanted to make sure that Yuki was as warm and comfy as possible, especially since her long-sleeved dress was in the washer from a spaghetti-related incident and all she was wearing at that time was a diaper. So, as soon as he finished unfolding the spare quilt, the Wolf Man didn't think twice before draping it over his daughter and gently tucking it around her frame. All the while, Yuki's mouth remained wide open and she continued to draw in one relaxing breath after another._

_"There we go, sweetheart..." Ookami murmured, right before he bent down and placed a delicate kiss against Yuki's hairline. "Now, you'll be nice and toasty for the rest of the night..."_

_With that, the dark-haired man straightened himself back up and walked over to the two stacks of children's books that he had left on the floor. He picked up the shorter stack first, carrying it over to his mate's wardrobe and placing it neatly beside the alarm clock. Then, he did the same with the taller stack, wanting to make sure that he prevented any tripping hazards. Finally, when Ookami finished positioning the taller stack of books alongside the shorter stack, he made a move to leave the room. He stepped out into the small hallway that connected all of the rooms in the apartment, right before he grabbed the edge of the glass-paneled door and started to slide it shut. However, before closing it all the way, he took one final peek in at Yuki. He witnessed her left hand twitch a little again, drool still trickling down from one of the corners of her mouth as she held her wolf-like doll close to her side and remained snuggled beneath the cotton quilt. By that point, there was nothing but moonlight and silence in the bedroom. _

_"Sleep tight, Yuki. Daddy will see you in the morning..." Ookami declared softly. "Love you bunches..."_

_Finally, he__—ever so quietly__—slid the door shut, leaving his daughter to rest. Then, with a mixture of relief, satisfaction, and tiredness coursing through his system, the dark-haired man spun himself around on his heels and began to walk down the small hallway—in the direction of the apartment's main room. Along the way, he rubbed his throat and his bare feet pitter-pattered against the yellow tiles with every step that he took. Although, it didn't take long for the yellow tiles to come to an end, transitioning back over to the mint green carpet that topped the floor in the apartment's main room._

_Upon making it to the end of the hallway, Ookami froze in his tracks and stared across the room. He saw that Hana was stationed at the small wooden table, sitting in an adjustable, comfy, pastel yellow chair that was made to recline. She was humming a relaxing tune to herself and focusing on something that she was in her hand. On the table, there was a fresh can of her favorite peaches, accompanied by her sewing kit and a mug that was filled with some type of steaming beverage. Not only that, but on this particular night, Hana was wearing a pair of wool socks and a long, plain, cream-colored nightgown with capped sleeves. It flowed all the way down to her ankles and did a great job at showing off her stomach, which was noticeably **much **larger than usual. This was because Hana just so happened to be seven months pregnant, carrying her and Ookami's **second** child._

_The two of them hadn't been planning to have another baby for at least another year or two. Although, to be fair, they hadn't expected Yuki's conception to come as quickly as it had either. In fact, on the day in which the young couple had found out that they were going to be welcoming a new child into the family, everything started off as normal. Ookami had been taking a day off from work in order to look after Yuki, while Hana had been handling her shift down at Hokushin Dry Cleaners. Then, out of nowhere, a wave of nausea came crashing over her and she had to run into the bathroom to puke. Her boss, upon finding out, didn't hesitate to tell her to go home and rest ... but that's when Hana had just so happened to remember that her period was running late. So, after making a quick pit stop at the pharmacy, Hana returned home with a pregnancy test and didn't think twice before taking it. Needless to say, the results confirmed that she was pregnant ... and after Ookami had come back to the apartment with Yuki__—courtesy of how he had decided to take her out for a walk—he was welcomed with the news that he was going to be a father again._

_To this day, the dark-haired man remembered seeing the little plus sign on the pregnancy test and throwing his arms around his soulmate. He remembered spinning her around in circles, just like he had on the day in which he had found out that she was pregnant with Yuki. Then, he had snatched their daughter up from the ground and began joyfully tossing her into the air, announcing over and over again that she was going to be a big sister. All the while, he—along with Yuki and Hana—filled the apartment with the sound of their excited laughter. Needless to say, it was another one of the most wonderful moments in the Wolf Man's entire life._

_Ookami took a moment to just stare at his mate, admiring just how beautiful she was. Then, with his face still decorated by a soft smile, he finally decided to enter the main room of the apartment. He made sure to step around the heater, which was plugged in and positioned a few feet away from Hana. It was facing the left side of her body, casting a reddish-orange glow and sending delightful waves of warmth in her direction. The Wolf Man could even feel the pleasant change in the room's temperature, despite how the heater wasn't on its highest setting or pointing in his direction._

_Upon realizing that she was no longer alone, Hana stopped humming and lifted her head to see Ookami. At the same time, he took a seat on the floor across from her and folded his legs, still wearing his white shirt with the stretched-out collar and his old pair of dark blue sweatpants._

_"Well, it took about an hour and fifteen minutes, but I **finally **managed to get Yuki to fall asleep." Ookami said as he continued to rub the bottom of his throat. "I swear, thanks to her, I've read each of those books so many times to the point where I have a majority of them **completely** memorized."_

_Hana let out a couple of soft chuckles, folding her hands on top of her bloated belly as she offered him a smile. It was sweet, but also had some sympathy sprinkled into it._

_"You know, Ookami, I would've been more happy to have read to her tonight. After all, **you're **the one who has to get up by five for an early shift."_

_"And **you're **the one who's in the middle of carrying our second child." Ookami reminded, cutting a glance down at his mate's stomach before making eye contact with her again. "With that being said, it's **my** duty—as your mate—to make sure that you get to relax as much as possible. You already do **so much **around the apartment and you take care of me and Yuki on a daily basis. You **deserve** the right to have some time to yourself. I'll be able to handle work tomorrow just fine ... and besides, you already had the pleasure of reading 'The Journey of the Noble Gnarble' **five times** today."_

_At the mention of their daughter's favorite storybook, Hana laughed a little again. At the same time, she sat aside a sewing needle that had been tucked between a few of her fingers and placed the small item that she had been previously holding down on the table. It sat safely between her sewing kit and large can of peaches, meaning that it wasn't in the Wolf Man's line of vision. Then, Hana suddenly reached for the mug that had also been sitting on the table and picked it up, using her opposite hand to support it. The whole time, her lovely smile never wavered._

_"That reminds me! I had a hunch that Yuki was going to keep you preoccupied for quite some time. So, I went ahead and prepared this for you!" Hana declared, right before she extended her arms and held the mug in the direction of her mate. "It's warm tea with two spoonfuls of honey."_

_Ookami's eyes grew a little in surprise. He reached his hands out and cuffed the mug, taking it from Hana. As soon as he did this, his palm and fingers warmed up—as if he had just slipped on the toastiest pair of gloves in all of existence. At the same time, the steam tickled his nose and chased away any coldness from his face that he hadn't even realized had been there beforehand._

_"Oh...! Hana, you really shouldn't have..." Ookami said, shaking his head a little. "I could've whipped up something for myself. It would've been no trouble at all."_

_"I may be pregnant, but I'm sure that I am **more **than capable of putting together a cup of tea." Hana retorted as she gave her eyes a small, playful roll. "Plus, you read to our daughter for over an hour. You were **bound** to be parched ... and it was the least that I could do."_

_A sparkle of gratitude shot through the dark-haired man's eyes, his heart nearly swelling as he thought about how lucky he was to have such a precious woman in his life. He lowered his attention down to the mug, right before he took a couple of small whiffs and immediately detected the delightful scent of jasmine. It was mixed with honey, which made the overall aroma feel similar to a spring day after a rainstorm. Having that thought in his mind, Ookami relaxed his eyes shut and lifted the mug up to his mouth. He took the first sip, filling his mouth with the heavenly warmth of the tea. The taste was pure bliss, coating his tongue nicely ... and as he swallowed, the Wolf Man could've sworn that he was on cloud nine. The warmth from the homemade beverage spread through his throat and continued to do the same in his stomach, as if he had just tasted a piece of heaven._

_"I hope that I didn't make it too hot." Hana said in a slightly more sheepish manner, just as she pushed a stray strand of her hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear with her fingertips. "I also hope that there's enough honey in it to your liking. I would've added a third spoonful, but I didn't want to risk making it **too **sugary."_

_Ookami opened his eyes again and snickered, sounding just as relaxed as he looked. He then lowered the mug from his lips, offering his soulmate one of his tranquil and charming grins as he said, "It's **perfect**, sweetheart. Thank you for making it."_

_A bright shade of pink swept across Hana's cheeks, just as the corners of her lips curled into another perky smile._

_"You're welcome, Ookami! I'm glad to hear that you like it."_

_With that, the dark-haired man raised the mug back up to his mouth and continued to take sips of his tea. Every time that he swallowed, he felt the aching sensation in his throat become weaker__—as if it was in the process of disappearing into thin air. Meanwhile, Hana had picked up her can of peaches and scooped out a spoonful. Then, upon feeding it to herself, she placed the can back down on the wooden table and selected a spool with dull blue thread from her sewing kit. She unraveled a strand that was no longer than five inches, right before she snipped it with a small pair of scissors that she already had lying out. At the same time, she finished chewing her latest spoonful of peach slices and swallowed smoothly._

_Ookami peeked up, watching her from over the rim of his mug as he took another slurp of tea. He noticed his soulmate pick up the same sewing needle as before, her hazel irises shimmering with a mixture of love and determination as she proceeded to insert the dull blue thread through the needle's eye. When that was over, she then began to patiently lace the thread around the rest of the needle, following some type of complex pattern that she seemed to know like the back of her hand. _

_"Okay ... I'm almost done..." Hana murmured to herself, finally managing to tie one end of the thread into a knot. "I just have **one** final detail to add..."_

_The Wolf Man furrowed his brow in curiosity, lowering the mug from his mouth and swallowing yet another sip of tea. As this happened, Hana reached her other hand out and retrieved the small item that she had been holding about a minute or two previously. Ookami still hadn't managed to see whatever the item was, but realized that it must've been something that his mate had created with the help of her sewing kit._

_With her left hand being used as a backboard and her baby bump playing the role of a table, Hana was able to keep her creation still. She then angled the needle and carefully pushed it through something, right before she pulled the needle back out and guided it upwards. The five-inch thread followed, stretching diagonally. After that, with a twist of her wrist, Hana guided the needle back down and pushed it through something again. Finally, after poking the needle through again, she moved it away from her creation and stretched the thread out in a similar manner as before—except, this time, she had led the needle downwards. Overall, she had completed what was like a Figure Eight ... and the Wolf Man couldn't tell whether he was more confused or amazed by his mate's sewing abilities._

_"Ah, yes...!" Hana chirped, still sounding like she was speaking more to herself than to anybody else. "That's it...! It's finished...!"_

_Ookami batted his lashes, his face still covered by an expression that looked awfully similar to the one that he had worn on the day in which his mate had first introduced him to Shish Kabobs. He watched as Hana picked up the same pair of scissors as before, followed by her quickly__—yet carefully__—cutting the thread. About two inches of it remained on the needle, which Hana had almost immediately returned to her sewing kit—along with the scissors. Then, at last, she stared at her finished creation with her lips stretched into a much more enthusiastic grin and her eyes practically glowing like lanterns._

_Meanwhile, Ookami tilted his head a little to the side, making himself seem even more like Yuki in that moment._

_"What do you have there, Hana?" he inquired._

_Hana lifted her head to look at him again. Then, she said in a tone that was just as gleeful as the look on her face, "See for yourself!"_

_As soon as those words left her mouth, Hana picked up the small item and turned it around, presenting it to Ookami. His eyes landed on it ... and, in that moment, the dark-haired man could've sworn that he felt his heart light up—brighter than a bulb on a Christmas tree. It turned out, his mate's creation was a plush doll that was designed to look like a wolf. It might as well have been an exact replica of Yuki's doll, having everything down to a tee_—_from the circular patches of thread for eyes, to the hand-stitched 'X' that represented the nose. There was even a spare scrap of cloth that was wrapped around the newer toy's neck like a scarf—just like Yuki's. _

_At the sight of the new toy, Ookami's dark blue irises sparkled like constellations. At the same time, an excited smile spread practically ear-to-ear across his face and he let out a small, single, delighted laugh as he sat his warm mug of tea back down on the wooden table. He then reached his hand out and took the wolf-like plushie from Hana, wanting to get a closer look at it. The material was incredibly soft and the quality was perfect, making the toy look like something that a person would be able to find on a shelf in an **actual** children's store. _

_"Hey, look at that!" Ookami said cheerfully, taking in as many of the details as he possibly could. "It looks **exactly **like Yuki's! You **really **outdid yourself, honey."_

_Once again, Hana's cheeks became stained with a bright shade of pink. Her smile__ became a little bashful, courtesy of how she wasn't the type of person who was used to being praised for her good deeds or lively personality_.

_"Oh, it wasn't very hard. I'm just lucky that my grandmother taught me how to sew at a young age. She knew her way around a sewing machine better than anybody else in my **entire** family." Hana said, her cheerfulness never crumbling—not even when she brought up her departed grandmother. "If you want, Ookami, I can show you how to sew—just like my grandmother had showed me. It can be **a little** confusing at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's actually pretty fun!"_

_"You know what? ... I think that I just might take you up on that offer." Ookami declared with a small laugh, unable to tell whether his true love's optimism was making him feel more amused or pumped. "__After all, with every passing day, Yuki is becoming more and more rambunctious. Plus, we have another child on the way. We'll never know the amount of sewing that will need to be done. So, with that being said, I think that it would actually be **better** for us to have two pairs of hands handling the sewing instead of just one."_

_"I'm glad that you see it that way!" Hana remarked with her hands instinctively moving around her protruding stomach, rubbing it. "In that case, we can begin after Yuki's bath tomorrow. She's usually preoccupied with her toys around that time, so we'll be able to focus on at least a good portion of the beginning parts."_

_Ookami gave a single nod of agreement, indicating that it was a plan. Afterwards, he dropped his gaze back down to the wolf-like plushie and delicately dragged one of its arms—i.e. front paws—through two of his fingers. As this happened, he started to think about his and Hana's second child—wondering if he or she would hug, chew on, and play with that stuffed doll as much as Yuki did with her own. He could already see the new baby snuggling with the plushie, keeping one arm looped around it as he or she sucked their thumb and slept peacefully. He could also see the baby using it to help them through teething and diaper changes, just like Yuki had done on numerous occasions before entering her toddler years. Overall, Ookami just **knew** that the new baby was going to love that toy._

_"I **still** can't believe that that you were able to match this to Yuki's doll so perfectly! The eyes, the ears, the measurements ... they could literally be identical!" Ookami continued to praise Hana's impressive sewing skills__, tracing the tip of his index finger along the scarf that was around the plushie's neck. "You even gave this one a little scarf, too! Seriously, Hana, it's **amazing **how you were able to ... hey, hold on a second..."_

_Before being able to finish his second to last sentence, the dark-haired man ended up cutting himself off when the tip of his finger reached the end of the wolf-like doll's scarf. He had failed to notice something about it, due to the fact that he had been caught up in his excitement and not to mention the flawlessness of Hana's sewing abilities. It turned out, before that very moment, Ookami had failed to notice what color the plushie's scarf was. It was the same color as the thread that he had seen Hana use just a couple of minutes beforehand__—a dull shade of **blue**.__ The Wolf Man then swept his eyes across the entire plushie again ... and that's when the realization hit him. It wasn't just the scarf. On the contrary, the** entire **__plushie—instead of being red and white like Yuki's—was white and blue. That was the **only** difference between the two dolls, yet Ookami couldn't tell whether he felt more embarrassed or surprised by how he hadn't noticed it right off the bat._

_The Wolf Man took a moment to process what he had just realized. Then, he redirected his attention back over to Hana, seeing that she was already looking at him with her hands now resting on top of her bloated tummy. Her features were covered in a mixture of confusion and curiosity, making her expression almost perfectly resemble the one that she had wore on the night in which Ookami had returned to the apartment with a giant pheasant. _

_"Is everything alright, Ookami?" Hana inquired, blinking at him._

_"Oh! Oh, yeah. Everything's fine, love."_

_Ookami released a string of fairly awkward chuckles, just now realizing that he seemed to have been fixating a little **too **much on the fact that the new baby's plushie revolved around a different color scheme. He scratched the back of his neck with his unoccupied hand, feeling a mild wave of heat tingling across his cheeks as he offered his mate a somewhat dorky__—yet cute—__smile. _

_"I guess that I was just caught off guard by how this plushie didn't turn out to be the same color as the one that you made for Yuki." Ookami explained, his tone making it more than clear that he felt rather silly. "After all, I was going on and on about how **similar** they were and ... the fact that this one was blue instead of red must've just flew over my head." _

_Hana breathed a small laugh, just as her lips formed into another sheepish grin._

_"It's not a problem that it's blue, is it?" she asked._

_"Of course not." Ookami replied, shaking his head with the same dorky smile. "I was just surprised by how I hadn't noticed it sooner. Is there any particular reason as to why you chose the color blue for this one?"_

_While asking that question, the Wolf Man sat the plushie down on the wooden table, treating it as though it was made of glass. It sat upright, being supported by the sewing kit, and Hana continued to stare at it for a couple of seconds. Then, not long after she heard that question leave Ookami's mouth, her hands started to delicately roam around her bloated stomach once more. Not only that, but her bashful smile melted away and was replaced by one that was much more affectionate._

_"You'll probably think that it's silly, but ... when I was gathering the materials, this **feeling **formed inside of me__—__completely out of the blue." Hana said, in which she lowered her attention down to her baby bump and continued to rub it with the gentlest touch that any human could possibly have. "I don't really know how to explain it ... but it made me think of the baby. Then, before I knew it ... I found myself feeling strongly convinced that we were going to be welcoming a **son.**"_

_As soon as that final word left Hana's mouth, the Wolf Man's eyebrows practically jumped all the way up to his hairline. He dragged his eyes downward and stared at his mate's ballooned belly, thinking about what he was just told. At first, he almost appeared to be rendered speechless ... but then, after no more than five seconds, his features were overrun by excitement and he made eye contact with Hana again._

_"A son? ... You mean, you think it's a boy?" Ookami inquired._

_"Well, I know that we can't know for certain until **after** I go into labor, but ... yeah." Hana replied, her voice soft and filled with nothing but love. "I never told you this before, Ookami, but when I was pregnant with Yuki, I ... I felt a **similar** feeling came over me—except, back then, it was telling me that we were going to be having a **girl. **So, when I realized how **alike **both of these hunches were ... I just couldn't help myself. The blue thread was in my hand before I knew it...!"_

_Hana peered down at the wolf-like plushie, watching as it seemed to stare off into the distance from where it was still sitting neatly on the table. Then, a few seconds later, she exhaled and flicked her gaze back over to the Wolf Man._

_"I wish that I knew how to explain it better, but ... I'm afraid that I can't think of any other way to describe it. It's just some type of ... you know ... **hunch **that feels rather promising..."_

_"Hmm..." Ookami cocked an eyebrow and proceeded to make a joke. "Women's intuition, perhaps?"_

_"Oh, yeah. Maybe that's it." Hana retorted in the form of an amused scoff, right before she let out a couple of giggles and looked down at her baby bump again. "I know that it probably sounds ridiculous__—"_

_"It doesn't sound ridiculous, Hana. It sounds beautiful."_

_As those words left the dark-haired man's mouth, his reached his hands out and ever so delicately placed them against the lower part of his soulmate's stomach. At the same time, Hana rested her smaller hands on top of his and Ookami's ecstatic smile melted into one that was much more starry-eyed. In fact, it looked very much like the smile that the Wolf Man would wear whenever he got caught up in just staring at his companion. _

_"Although, in the end, the gender of this baby doesn't matter. Whether it's a boy or another girl, we will welcome it with open arms and shower it with as much love as we possibly can." Ookami spoke with nothing but affection in his voice, gently caressing the lower part of Hana's bloated belly with his thumbs. "All I wish for this baby is that, once they arrive, they are safe, healthy, and happy."_

_"Yeah, I know..." Hana breathed, sounding relaxed and happy. "That's all I want for them, too."_

_Ookami continued to cradle both sides of the baby bump, still wearing his fond smile. There were no words that could possibly describe how much he wished that he could take Hana to the hospital to get an ultrasound done. Not entirely because of their curiosity as to whether their second child was a boy or a girl, but because he knew how common it was for other people to get their ultrasounds, frame them, and hang them around their homes. After all, it was a celebration of life ... but Ookami and Hana knew that they couldn't do that. They didn't know whether their second child would be in the form of a normal baby or a wolf pup, despite being in the womb. So, they couldn't risk getting any ultrasounds__—not even when they had been expecting Yuki. It was hard, but with the help of his companion, the Wolf Man was able to look on the bright side. The gender of their second child would be a surprise, just like Yuki's had been._

_Just then, Hana slid her hands upward. She wrapped one arm around her midriff, while her other hand continued to move in delicate, circular patterns around the top half of her protruding tummy. Meanwhile, Ookami kept his hands where they were, tenderly placed against the bottom. He peeked up to look at his mate, seeing how she was staring down at the baby bump with a dreamy look on her face._

_With that, Ookami spoke up again, "Penny for your thoughts, sweetheart?"_

_"Hmm..." Hana pressed her lips together in thought, right before she lifted her head and offered the Wolf Man one of her contagious smiles. "Okay, Ookami ... let's just say, hypothetically, we **are **having a boy..."_

_The dark-haired man let out a chuckle, seeing how much his mate **truly** believed that their second child was going to end up being a son. He decided to go along with her, nodding his head._

_"Alright. Hypothetically speaking, we **are** expecting a son."_

_Hana gave a small nod back, right before she asked, "What would we name him?"_

_Ookami faltered for a moment, maintaining eye contact. When he and Hana had been preparing for Yuki's arrival, they had gone through a countless amount of books that provided literally **hundreds **of baby names. However, with their second child, the two of them hadn't been able to dedicate as much time as they would've liked to picking out a name or even handling other preparations—such as shopping for new clothes, toys, and even a new sling since Yuki was still able to fit in the one that they already had. Ookami was constantly having to put up with random switches in his working schedule, while Hana was juggling classes on top of her part-time job. They might've been able to handle all of it when it was just the two of them, but Yuki was in the picture now. This meant that somebody **always **had to be with her, considering how it wasn't an option for the young couple to hire a babysitter or put her in daycare. So, as excited as Hana and Ookami were to be having another baby, their schedules were pretty full and they hadn't been able to properly plan out **everything** for their new son or daughter just yet. _

_"Hmm ... well, let's see here..." Ookami said at last, in which he slowly retracted his hands from his mate's belly and lifted one of them up to his chin. "When you were pregnant with Yuki, we might as well have went through **thousands **of those baby name books ... and no matter how many pages we turned, we only seemed to come across a few names that would spark our interests for a couple of seconds. None of them **truly **stood out ... but on the night that Yuki was born, the snow was so **beautiful.** After we saw just how majestic all of the snowflakes looked, it was like her name was **destined **to be 'Yuki.' So, instead of trying to force ourselves to find a name in a book this time ... maybe we should **wait** until the baby officially gets here. I'm sure that when he or she enters the world, there will be a sign that tells us what they are meant to be named—just like Yuki and the snow."_

_Hana's eyes practically twinkled as she processed everything that the Wolf Man had just said. She then lowered her gaze back down to her protruding stomach, still rubbing it and wearing an optimistic grin._

_"Well, this one is due in March. If it **is **a boy ... maybe, when he comes into the world, the sun will shine even **brighter** than we've ever seen it before." Hana proposed, almost sounding mesmerized by the mental picture. "It'll shine through all of the windows that we have and fill the **entire** apartment with the warm glow of its light. Then, we could name the baby 'Akira' since it means 'sun.'"_

_"I like the name Akira..." Ookami said, his starry-eyed smile beginning to make a reappearance. "Or, perhaps ... if it really **is **a boy ... we will notice a pattern in the wind as it whistles through the air, leading all the way up to the moment in which he'll let out his first cry. Maybe, if we listen to it closely, it will sound like a **perfect** melody ... and, with that, he could be given the name 'Kaze' — 'wind.'"_

_"I like that name, too!" Hana chirped, nearly jittering in her recliner from feeling so much delight. "So, 'Kaze' and 'Akira' are **definite** possibilities."_

_Ookami offered another suggestion. "And what about 'Hoshi'?"_

_His mate tilted her head a little to the side as she translated._

_"'Star'?"_

_"Yeah ... after all, if we **are **expecting a son, he might end up coming into the world at night—just like Yuki had." Ookami pointed out, just as positioned his elbow against the edge of the wooden table and rested his cheek in his hand. "Just picture it ... you, me, and Yuki welcoming him into the world with a sea of constellations filling the late-night sky. For miles, they'll shimmer like diamonds ... and then, we just might be fortunate enough to spot a **shooting star**_**.**_"_

_Hana stared at him in awe, placing a hand over her heart to show how touched she was by that description. Meanwhile, a smile that was much more calm crossed over her features. _

_"Oh, honey ... that sounds absolutely **beautiful. **'Hoshi,' 'Kaze,' 'Akira' ... all three of them are such lovely names—and I'm positive that they're just the beginning!" Hana declared, shortly before she let out a soft sigh and lowered her gentle gaze down to her swollen tummy once more. "How will we **ever** be able to settle on just one for our baby?"_

_"Don't worry about that, Hana. Like I said before ... as soon as the baby is born, we will **know** what their name is destined to be__—whether it's 'Akira,' 'Hoshi,' 'Kaze,' or something **entirely** different." Ookami reassured, still resting his head in his hand. "Once we see the face of our unborn son or daughter, it'll come to us ... and whatever his or her name turns out to be, it will fit them **perfectly.**"_

_"Yeah ... you're right, Ookami."_

_There was a moment of silence after that, consisting of Hana picking her can of peaches back up and feeding herself another few spoonfuls. Meanwhile, Ookami listened to the sound of the icy wind as it accompanied the snowy weather outside. It was practically howling, resulting in the dark-haired man straightening himself back up and taking a glance over his shoulder. He wanted to make sure that he had remembered to close the curtains, which he sometimes found himself forgetting to do on account of his sleep deprivation. Although, on this particular night, he **had **remembered to close the curtains._

_Suddenly, Hana spoke up again, __"Hey, Ookami?"_

_The Wolf Man immediately turned himself back around, locking his attention back on his soulmate. He saw that she was__—yet again—__staring down at her baby bump, no longer holding her can of peach slices._

_"Yes, love?" Ookami said back._

_Hana gently glided one of her hands down her stomach, smoothing out a wrinkle on her nightgown. Her eyes were brewing with deep thought, despite how she still appeared to be perfectly content and relaxed. In fact, her smile looked very similar to the one that she had wore on the night in which Yuki had been born._

_"Tell me ... if this baby truly **does **end up being a boy..."_

_Ookami blinked, waiting for her to finish. "Yeah...?"_

_That's when Hana peeked up at him through her lashes, looking like an angel. Then, she continued._

_"...What will he grow up to be?" _

_As soon as that question left his mate's mouth, the Wolf Man realized right off the bat that it was the **same exact** question that she had asked on the day in which they had welcomed their first-born child into their lives. He paused, wanting to give the question a chance to sink in again ... and that's when Ookami's eyes began to sparkle with a mixture of pure content and honesty. He then flicked his attention back down to Hana's tummy, a soft and genuine smile peeling across his face._

_"He ... he could be whatever he wants. He could be a teacher, a baker, an artist, or even an astronaut..." Ookami began, extending on a response that was purposely meant to be similar to the one that he had given on the night in which Yuki had made her grand entrance into the world. "For him, **anything** is possible ... and we will raise him the same way that we are raising Yuki—to shoot for the stars and to not settle for **anything** that's less than his dreams. Together, Hana ... our children will grow to be nothing but **extraordinary.**"_

_"I was thinking the exact same thing..." Hana stated softly, relaxing her eyes shut with a gentle grin still molded across her lips. "In the end, all I want is for them to grow to be happy_—_wherever their lives may take them. **That **will forever be my number one wish for them." _

_"And that's what makes you such a **fantastic** mother."_

_Hana made a noise that sounded like a blend between a giggle and an exhale, making it clear that she appreciated the comment. At the same, her smile broadened ... but as she opened her eyes and locked her gaze__—once again—on the Wolf Man, there was something about it that seemed to change. The brightness in it seemed to calm down, as if it was a light that had been dimmed to a more proper setting. If anything, it looked like Hana was caught up in thinking about something ... and that theory was supported by how her hazel irises were **still** glowing with deep thought._

_"Actually, Ookami ... now that you say that..." Hana said, her somewhat distracted tone being the final piece that was needed to confirm that there was__—indeed—something else on her mind. "I've been meaning to talk to you about something."_

_Ookami raised an eyebrow, automatically feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand up—similar to what his ears would've done if he had been in his wolf form. He slowly put his shoulders back, straightening himself up once more. All the while, he couldn't tell whether he was more curious or worried._

_"Okay...?" he said, stretching the word out to show that he was trying to prompt his mate into continuing. "Is everything alright?"_

_Hana was quick to respond. "O-oh, yes! Of course! Everything's perfectly fine!"_

_She nodded her head and put on the most promising grin that she could muster, even going as far as leaning forward as much as she could in her chair_—_which, due to her swollen belly, wasn't very far. It was evident that she wanted to provide the Wolf Man with reassurance, not wanting him to risk jumping to any conclusions on whatever it was that she was wanting to talk about. _

_Ookami's worry dissolved and was replaced by relief. Meanwhile, his curiosity remained._

_"Phew ... thank God..." he commented quietly, right before he tilted his head a little to the side. "So ... what **exactly** is it that you've been meaning to talk to me about?"_

_Hana slowly leaned her body back against the back of the recliner again. She stayed silent for a moment, only to end up turning her head and lowering her gaze back down to the small, blue and white, wolf-like plushie that was still sitting neatly in front of her sewing kit. After that, the reassurance in Hana's smile faltered and was replaced by pure love. Her hands—once again—started to instinctively roam around her protruding stomach; and she calmly let out a breath that she hadn't even realized that she had been holding. Then, at last, Hana began to speak._

_"It's just ... in another two months, we'll be welcoming our second child into the world. I've been looking forward to meeting him or her ever since I took that pregnancy test and found out that I was pregnant again ... but lately, I've also been caught up in thinking about our current schedules..."_

_"What about our current schedules?" Ookami asked, his gentle tone making it clear that he wanted his companion to know that she could tell him anything._

_Hana redirected her attention back over to him. Like her voice, her eyes were now filled with sincerity. _

_"Ookami ... for as long as I can remember, you've been having to put up with your shifts **constantly** being moved around. Sometimes, you're called in when you're supposed to be having a day off. Other times, you're called off at the very last minute. Then, there are times in which you'll show up, only to be told that you'll be handling tasks that weren't even assigned for that particular day. Meanwhile, I'm trying to juggle classes and my part-time job at the dry cleaners__—all while being pregnant."_

_Ookami pursed his lips, already having a hunch as to where his mate was going with this. He nodded his head a little, making sure that Hana knew that he was listening._

_"We've **adapted** to these lifestyles of ours." Hana went on, maintaining eye contact. "After all, we've been handling them for **years**__—even **before **we met. When I was pregnant with Yuki, I continued to go to school and handle my part-time job—just like **you** continued to handle your shifts as a mover and sometimes found the time to attend a class or two at the university. Back then, we didn't have any new responsibilities to incorporate into our daily schedules ... because that was **before **Yuki was born. Once she arrived, you and I had to start finding ways to make sure that one of us were **always **home with her. We had to feed her, bathe her, change her diapers, console her when she cried ... **all of that **became part of our current routines—and it took us **quite some time** to get used to."_

_Ookami let__ out a huff of agreement, despite how he thought that "quite some time" was an understatement. It had been one hell of a challenge for him to get used to being a first-time parent, just like it had been for Hana. Of course, they **loved **__their daughter ... but that didn't mean that it was easy for them to adapt to the changes that she brought to their lives—because it wasn't._

_In fact, when Yuki came into the picture, Ookami was the one who__—ninety-nine percent of the time_—_found ways to stay home with her. Whether that meant working late-night shifts, trading days with a coworker, or even shoving as much work as possible into a single shift, the Wolf Man didn't care. He did what he did because he knew that Hana was busting herself at school every Monday, Thursday, and Friday. Meanwhile, she worked an early shift at the dry cleaners almost every Tuesday and the evening shifts typically occurred on the same days that she had classes. So, for a majority of the week, she wasn't able to be home until dinnertime; and even on the weekends, she usually had to juggle homework, studying, and her typical duties around the apartment. It was **a lot **to adapt to. _

_Fortunately, Ookami was able to make the best of it—regardless of how long it took to get used to. Sometimes, if Yuki were to fall asleep, he would take advantage of the time by heading down to the university and sitting in on a class or two. He would take notes and watch as the professors flicked through insightful slideshows. All the while, Yuki would be resting against his back, supported by the baby harness. Although, this didn't happen as often as the dark-haired man would've liked, courtesy of how sleep deprivation had **also** become a new obstacle in his life. Plus, his work schedule had become increasingly random—just like Hana had said._

_Hana exhaled, drawing Ookami back into the moment._

_"My point is, Ookami ... even with Yuki in the picture, the two of us have **still **been trying to keep on top of our jobs and educations. By the time that our second child arrives, I don't see **how** we'll be able to do that. Another mouth to feed, another body to bathe ... another **life **that you and I will be responsible for. We might've been able to find ways around handling work and school when Yuki came into our lives ... but when our second child gets here, we'll be back to square one. Our daily routines will be **completely** rearranged again ... and if we keep trying to handle work and school **on top **of our duties as parents, it'll only be a matter of time before we spread ourselves too thin." _

_The Wolf Man bit down on his bottom lip and dragged it between his teeth, knowing that his mate was right about everything that she had just said. He waited a moment for all of the information to finish sinking in, right before he let out a heavy sigh and proceeded to run a hand through his shaggy hair._

_"Yeah, I know..." he grumbled, hoping that he didn't sound defeated. "We're going to need to come up with some sort of plan—one that will help us maintain our income, while also providing us with the ability to be here to take care of Yuki and the new baby..."_

_"Well..." Hana breathed and, despite finding the whole situation to be at least somewhat nerve-wracking, put on her best smile. "I can already tell that no matter what happens, we'll be able to get through it__. In fact, I ... I just **might **have a way to help make things easier on us..."_

_As soon as he heard those words leave his soulmate's mouth, the Wolf Man didn't think twice before looking at her again. It was evident that he was already all ears._

_"Really? ... And what way is that, Hana?" _

_In that moment, there was a small change in Hana's smile. It looked more sympathetic, as if it belonged to a parent who was about to break the news to their child that the Tooth Fairy didn't exist. Yet, regardless of this, her tone remained sweet and honest._

_"Ookami..." she said, staring back at her companion. "I've been thinking about dropping out of school..."_

_In less than a second, Ookami's eyes grew to be the size of saucers. His jaw nearly dropped all the way down to the floor, but he had managed to catch it and reel it back in before it could. The disbelief that shot through his body was similar to a brick wall, nearly jolting him and making his lungs feel as though they had been deflated. All the while, he kept repeating Hana's words in his mind, wanting to make sure that he had heard her correctly ... and after confirming that she had__—indeed—said that she was considering to leave university, the Wolf Man felt nothing but pure bewilderment._

_"W-what...?!" Ookami blurted out, still sounding like the air had been knocked out of him. "B-but...! Hana, it took you **so much **time and effort to get into that university. I remember you telling me that even **before** you were accepted, you stayed up and studied until the crack of dawn almost every single day—all so you could earn your scholarship. Then, **after **you got in, you applied for your job at the dry cleaners to help you pay off what was left of your tuition..."_

_"Yeah..." Hana said as she faintly nodded her head, her face still accompanied by her soft grin. "I know I did..."_

_"Dropping out won't eliminate the fact that you'll **still** be responsible for paying off your tuition, honey..." Ookami pointed out, his dark blue eyes beginning to illuminate with worry. "Plus, I know how much you **love **to learn. We even **met **because of that. I ... I understand that we're dealing with a lot right now, but ... I just don't like the idea of you doing something that you might end up regretting. Throwing away all of the hard work that you've already done? ... That's a **big **decision."_

_Hana gently shook her head and said back, "I wouldn't be throwing it away, Ookami. I would just be setting it aside." _

_Ookami batted his lashes, clearly trying to figure out where this plan of Hana's had come from. Beforehand, when he had a hunch as to where this conversation was going, it didn't include his mate telling him that she was planning to abandon her place at university. On the contrary, he had thought that the plan had involved something like her cutting back on study sessions or him talking to his boss about having him paired up with more coworkers in order to get through his shifts faster. However, this was something **entirely** different._

_Hana looked down at her baby bump once more, gently roaming her fingers along the fabric of her nightgown. _

_"...Do you remember the day when Yuki took her first steps?" she asked all of the sudden, sounding just as affectionate as she looked. "She was eight-months-old and you had taken her out for some fresh air. At the time, I was handling an early shift at the dry cleaners ... but we had agreed that we would meet at the park during my lunch break..."_

_The Wolf Man raised his eyebrows, wondering where his companion was going with this. Nevertheless, instead of speaking up, he remained silent and continued to listen._

_"At the very second that my boss gave me permission to go, I snatched up my box of homemade bento and hurried out the door. I swear, I was running through the busy streets like I was a little girl again. The sky was a perfect shade of blue ... and the air was rich with the sweet smells of roses and cherry pies..." Hana went on, recalling every last detail flawlessly. "I simply couldn't **wait **to spend my lunch break with you and Yuki, especially since you had a shift later that evening and I had been busy the previous night with homework..."_

_Even though Ookami was still confused as to why Hana was suddenly talking about the day in which their daughter had taken her first steps, that didn't stop a small smile from curling up on the corners of his lips. There was still some worry in his eyes from the news about Hana possibly leaving college; but it was now accompanied by some happiness. After all, Yuki's first steps was just as much of a beautiful moment to him as it was for his soulmate._

_"Once I got to the park, I found you sitting on a bench. You had just gotten done changing Yuki's diaper and she was grabbing your shirt in her tiny hands, using it to help pull herself up..." Hana continued, still rubbing her ballooned tummy. "By the time that I made it over to the bench, she was standing all on her own ... and as soon as she saw me, **that's **when it happened. She took a small step ... followed by another ... and **another.** She wobbled, but still managed to keep her balance without any help ... and when she made it into my arms, there were no words that could possibly describe the incredible amount of **joy** that I felt."_

_"I know ... I felt the exact same way." Ookami said with a small, breathy chuckle. "I remember you and I just holding each other with Yuki sandwiched between us. We were drawing so much attention to ourselves by laughing like a pair of hyenas ... but we were too excited to care. It was a **big** moment for our baby girl."_

_"Yeah ... and if I hadn't arrived at the park at **that very moment,** I would've missed it."_

_Once again, as the brief period of reminiscing came to an end, Ookami was thrown through a loop. His smile wavered and the happiness faded from his eyes, leaving him with an expression that looked much more sympathetic. Meanwhile, the pieces of the puzzle were gradually starting to come together in his mind._

_"Oh, Hana..." he whispered._

_Hana cut another small glance over at the little, blue and white, wolf-like doll that she had made for her and Ookami's second, unborn child. As this happened, she placed her hands over the top half of her protruding belly and proceeded to caress it with her thumbs. Then, a couple of seconds later, she redirected her gaze back over to the Wolf Man. Her eyes were shimmering with sincerity and her fragile grin was laced with guilt._

_"I've been handling my classes and part-time job for nearly **three years,** Ookami. In the beginning, when it was just me, I was able to take care of all of it with very little problems. Then, when the two of us became involved with each other, I was **still** able to handle all of my homework, studying, and shifts because our schedules just so happened to compliment each other very well—especially after you moved in." Hana explained, maintaining eye contact with the dark-haired man. "But ... when Yuki was born, I ended up making a mistake...__"_

_"**What** mistake?" Ookami inquired. "We were **both **adapting to being first-time parents..."_

_"I know ... but while **you** were finding ways around work in order to always be here with our daughter,** I** was still running off to the university. By the time that I would get out of my last class, I would have no choice but to run **all the way** to the dry cleaners for my shift__. Then, until dinnertime, the most that I was able to do in regards of our family was use the work phone to call you on my break and ask how everything was going. I never wanted to hang up either. I just wanted to talk to you and listen to Yuki in the background as she played and tried asking you a bunch of silly questions..." Hana said, right before she shook her head. "Even on the weekends, I wasn't able to spend as much time with you and her as I would've liked. I was **always** caught up in homework and my attempts to study ... but the truth is, ever since I found out that I was pregnant with our second child, I haven't been able to focus on school hardly at all. When I'm in class, I'm constantly zoning out and getting caught off guard whenever the instructor calls on me. Then, when I'm at work, I'm so caught up in thinking about getting back home to the point where I sometimes don't even notice a customer that's **right in front of me. **It made me feel pretty embarrassed, but I always did my best to push through it."_

_In that moment, Okami almost felt compelled to thump himself upside the head. He couldn't believe that he hadn't managed to realize any of this sooner, his shoulders sinking as he stared at his mate with compassionate eyes._

_He kept his voice gentle, "How come you didn't you tell me any of this before...?"_

_"Because I knew that it would make you worry and I didn't want that. Besides, by keeping it to myself, it gave me **plenty **of time to think." Hana pointed out, the guilt in her smile melting away and making it appear a lot brighter. "Ookami, I don't want to make that mistake again_—_especially with us expecting our second child. I don't want the obligations of being a **student** to get in the way of pleasures of being a** mother.** By putting school on hold, I'll be able to handle my part-time job with less stress and I'll get to spend more time with you, Yuki, and—eventually—the baby. __Plus, you'll be able to have an easier schedule to handle for work since I'll be able to spend more time here in the apartment. I really **do** think that it would be the best thing for me to do for our children."_

_Ookami dragged his bottom lip between his teeth, considering everything that his soulmate had just said. He couldn't deny that she was making plenty of great points. If Hana put school on hold, he would be able to take morning shifts on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays and make it back to the apartment before she was needed at the dry cleaners. Then, by the time that she returned from **her** shift, she would have more time and energy to dedicate to him and their children. Meanwhile, on Tuesdays, the Wolf Man would've been able to stay home with their daughter in the morning and watch over her while his mate was at work. Afterwards, when she returned, he could meet up with his coworkers and handle an afternoon shift instead of one that was scheduled for the later hours of the night. It all seemed to connect **so much better **without Hana needing to juggle all of her schoolwork ... and with their next child being expected to arrive in another two months, a schedule like that sounded **a lot** easier to handle._

_"Well ... it definitely **does** sound like you've been thinking about this for quite some time." Ookami said at last, a small grin grazing his features._

_"I really have." Hana confirmed, her eyes practically beginning to glow with a mixture of love and determination. "Honey, there's **plenty** of time for school in the future ... but our children are only going to be in our lives for a short period of time. Eighteen years **isn't** as long as most people think ... and I want to savor our time with them as much as I possibly can. Yuki is going to start potty training soon and I want to be here to help you with that, just like I want to be here when our new baby takes their first steps and says their first words. These milestones are** far more **important to me than keeping up with any classwork. I ... I **really **think that this is the best thing to do_—_especially in a time like this." _

_There was a small piece of Ookami that still felt sad and unsure over the thought of Hana dropping out of university. Although, at the same time, he admired just how **passionate** she was about this—about wanting to postpone her education for the sake of having more time to spend with him and their children. It was beautiful_—_something that the dark-haired man doubted a majority of people in the world would be willing to do._

_He reached his hand out and delicately placed it against his lover's cheek, caressing it with his thumb. At the same time, his faint grin began to grow._

_"Okay, love ... if you **really **wish to put school on hold, I'll support you." Ookami promised, the gentleness in his voice never faltering. "But do me a favor and take a little more time to think it over—just to be absolutely positive. Alright?"_

_"Alright, I will." Hana agreed with a small nod. "I'll go ahead and give it another week or two."_

_"Good."_

_At last, the Wolf Man leaned forward and placed his lips against his mate's forehead, making her giggle. He could feel her cheek starting to grow warm beneath his hand, giving it away that she was—once again—starting to break out into a cute blush. Then, after about three seconds, Ookami leaned back and offered Hana a smile that was filled with even more love and admiration than before._

_"Leave it to you to want to do such a selfless thing..." he said with a couple of soft chuckles dripping from his words. "You really **are **the most compassionate person that I have **ever **met..."_

_Hana softly shook her head, her lips still molded into an optimistic smile and her cheeks still stained with a vibrant shade of pink—almost making them look like perfect seashells. Then, her response came in a tone that was modest and affectionate._

_"I just want to do what's best for our family. That's all."_

_"I know you do. I want that, too." Ookami concluded, right before he withdrew his hand from his soulmate's cheek and proceeded to get up from the floor. "Now, come on."_

_"Huh? What are we_—_?"_

_In less than a second, Hana's bubbly expression completely transformed into a look of pure confusion—which looked awfully similar to an expression that Yuki would've been wearing in a time like that. However, before she was able to finish her question, Ookami had taken a hold of her hands and assisted in carefully pulling her up onto her feet. Now, the two of them were standing almost directly in front of each other._

_"Wait here for a second." Ookami instructed with a smile still decorating his face._

_"U-uhh...? Sure, but...?"_

_Hana was unable to come up with the rest of her response, too caught up in her confusion to figure out the right question to ask. _

_With that, Ookami stepped around her and walked swiftly into the kitchen. He turned, disappearing behind one of the walls that consisted of wooden frames and pixelated glass. Then, he grabbed something that he had placed on top of the microwave about a week prior__—a small, portable, mint-colored radio. It was shaped like a square, but it also had rounded edges. In addition to that, aside from the speaker, there were only two knobs. The larger one was dedicated to assisting in finding different channels, while the smaller knob was the one that controlled the volume. Lastly, there was a built-in handle and a metal antenna. They were placed neatly on the top, tying the whole radio together. Overall, it was nothing fancy and something that the Wolf Man had nearly forgotten about until that exact moment._

_Upon retrieving the radio, Ookami spun back around and returned to the main room of the apartment. He saw that Hana was still standing in the same spot, but was now turned around and facing the direction of the kitchen. Her arms were instinctively curled around the top and bottom of her protruding belly, while her curious eyes were observing the Wolf Man's every move. Although, it didn't take long for her gaze to drop down to the portable radio._

_Noticing this, Ookami froze in his tracks, held the radio up by its handle, and said, "Check this out!"_

_Hana blinked repeatedly, taking in every possible detail that the small item had to offer. By that point, she looked more quizzical than anything—as if she was trying to recall whether or not she had owned a radio in the first place. In fact, her new expression perfectly resembled the one that she had wore back when Ookami had prepared her a type of soup that she had never tried before ... and one of the prime ingredients had been a pheasant. __It was a look of pure curiosity and innocence—similar to how a child would look._

_"A portable radio?" Hana said at last, right before she lifted her attention back up to her mate. "Where'd you get that?" _

_"I got it last week from this elderly man—late seventies, if I had to guess." Ookami replied, just as he lowered his head and turned the radio around to get a better look at it. "He was moving out of his apartment to go live with his eldest son since he was widowed and had recently undergone surgery on his hip. So, two coworkers and I were assigned to clearing out the apartment. I was working on packing up what was left of the man's knick-knacks, while my coworkers were carrying out the larger pieces of furniture. That's when the elderly man presented me with this radio, telling me that he didn't want to risk cluttering up his son's home and that **I** seemed like the type of person who would take care of something like it."_

_After hearing that story, a sweet smile returned to Hana's face. _

_"That was incredibly generous of him!"_

_Ookami continued to stare at the radio, giving a small nod as he said, "Yeah, it was. I tried telling him that I couldn't accept it, but he told me that his son was sure to have a radio of his own and that bringing another wouldn't be necessary. Plus, he was simply too kind to say no to. So, I agreed to take it from him."_

_Hana tilted her head a little to the side. "How come you didn't tell me about it sooner?"_

_"To be honest, it kinda just slipped my mind. I didn't even remember that I had it until now." Ookami confessed. "At first, I had been planning on leaving it in the truck so my coworkers and I could listen to it during our shifts; but I didn't want to risk having it fall and break since we were constantly moving around furniture and boxes. So, in the end, I decided to bring it home and keep it on top of the microwave. That way, Yuki wouldn't be able to get her mischievous hands on it."_

_His soulmate couldn't help but chuckle a little at the mention of their daughter, knowing that she **definitely** would've tried fiddling around with the radio if she managed to get it in her grasp. Shortly after that, Hana flicked her eyebrows up in a curious manner._

_"Well, what made you decide to go get it right now?" she inquired._

_Ookami peeked up at her, his lips still curled into a charming grin. Then, without saying anything back, he dropped his attention back down to the radio, pinched the larger knob between two of his fingers, and proceeded to turn it. The radio turned on and automatically started to project the sound of static, making the dark-haired man feel grateful since that meant that the elderly gentleman hadn't decided to remove the batteries. He continued to twist the knob from left to right in a bunch of random patterns, already seeming to know the order to go in. The static heightened and lowered, sometimes being interrupted by the sound of some commercial or by the voice of an anonymous person that was in the middle of running a late-night podcast._

_Eventually, after fiddling around with the knob for about another ten or so seconds, Ookami stopped. The static subsided, only to be replaced by a beautiful and relaxing tune that appeared to be playing from some type of classical station. Not only that, but after withdrawing his fingers from the knob, the Wolf Man realized that he and his mate **knew** this song. It was "Maternity Sky" by_ _Takagi Masakatsu__—the same angelic tune that the two of them had come across and listened to when they were expecting Yuki. They hadn't heard it in quite some time, which made that moment even **more** special._

_"'Maternity Sky'?" Hana said softly, her eyes wide and sparkling with surprise. "Wow! We haven't heard that since I was this far along with Yuki...!"_

_"I know. How wonderful is it that it just so happened to be playing on a station at this time?"_

_Ookami, who felt just as content by the song, bent down and sat the radio down on the wooden table. Then, after he straightened himself back up, he extended his arms in the direction of his lover—as if he were waiting for a hug. The peaceful melody filled the whole room at a tolerable volume, surrounding the two of them. _

_"Hana ... may I have the honor of dancing with you?"_

_As soon as that question left Ookami's mouth, Hana's jaw nearly dropped. She cut a quick glance down at the radio and then snapped her attention back up to the Wolf Man, still listening to the sweet tune of "Maternity Sky" as it lingered through the air. Within seconds, a few tears had managed to form in the corners of Hana's eyes—more than likely being triggered by the hormones that came with her pregnancy. Then, as the shimmering teardrops leaked out onto her lashes and proceeded to trickle down her cheeks, Hana broke out into a massive smile and proceeded to laugh. She was **unbelievably** happy._

_"Oh, Ookami...! Of course, you can...!" Hana confirmed with a small sniffle. _

_With that, the young couple came together. Hana wrapped her arms around the dark-haired man's neck and leaned forward, placing her head against his chest. Ookami, on the other hand, connected his arms around her lower back and rested his head against her hair. Then, with "Maternity Sky" playing in the background, they started to softly sway in each other's arms. Neither of them knew if this was the correct way to slow dance, especially since Hana's baby bump was too large to allow the two of them to stand in certain positions; but they didn't care. All the Wolf Man and his mate cared about was having the chance to hold each other as closely as they could._

_Ookami could smell the lovely scents of jasmine and oranges as he held his lover intimately. He admired the feeling of her soft hair against his cheek, just like he loved how he could feel the very front of her protruding belly touching his much flatter stomach. Meanwhile, Hana was basking in the rhythm of the Wolf Man's heartbeat and loving how it felt to be wrapped up in his strong arms. She could smell the laundry detergent from his shirt, combined with the scent of his aftershave. All the while, she could feel her cheeks continuing to get tickled by her tears of happiness._

_Hana spoke up softly, "You know what this makes me think of?"_

_"What's that, love?" Ookami asked._

_"It makes me think that if we **do** have a boy..." She kept her head against his chest, smiling preciously. "I hope that he will grow to be as courteous as this."_

_The Wolf Man lightly nuzzled her hair. "And not to mention possesses an adventurous spirit."_

_"And don't forget a curious eye!" Hana added with a giggle, right before she lifted her head and made eye contact with her true love. "Do you think that the new baby will like the doll that I made for them? I mean, regardless of their gender?"_

_"Oh, absolutely. Have you seen how much Yuki adores hers? I have no doubt in my mind that the baby will **love **it."_

_Upon providing his mate with reassurance, Ookami sealed his lips against hers and created a passionate kiss. It lasted no more than five seconds. Then, after parting from each other, the dark-haired man glanced down at Hana's ballooned tummy. His lips were still twisted into an alluring grin and his eyes were filled with nothing but pure affection. _

_"Speaking of which, have you felt any kicking lately?" Ookami asked._

_"I'm afraid not." Hana replied, keeping her arms laced around her lover's neck as she also looked down at her rounded belly. "When I was pregnant with Yuki, she couldn't go a **day** without moving around. Sometimes, I even felt convinced that she was playing **soccer** in there ... but this one seems **much **more relaxed. They don't seem to move hardly at all ... and when they do, it feels more like a small flutter__—rather than a kick."_

_The Wolf Man slid one of his hands forward, delicately gliding it along his mate's body and placing it on the top of her massive stomach. Meanwhile, he kept his opposite arm wrapped around her lower back and continued to hold her close. He could now detect the smell of mint, which combined nicely with the other scents that were coming from his lover. It was clear that she had brushed her teeth recently._

_"Well ... I actually remember reading a book that talked about fetal movements—you know, back when we had been preparing for Yuki's arrival." Ookami said as he and Hana continued to lightly sway with each other. "It's been quite some time, so I can't remember **all **the details; but I can recall it mentioning that it's not uncommon for the baby's movements to become less frequent in the later months—mainly because they're getting too big to wiggle around. Plus, their sleeping schedules are all over the place when they're inside the womb. Sometimes, you could be fast asleep and not even realize that the baby is kicking. Then, it could decide to rest when **you** just so happen to be awake. It just depends on the timing and how active the baby decides to be." _

_"Yeah, I know..." Hana said softly, right before she let out a couple of sweet chuckles. "I guess that I'm just surprised by how much **calmer** this one is."_

_Ookami gave a small snicker. "Heh! That makes two of us."_

_"Do you think that there's still a chance that the baby will—oh!"_

_Before Hana could finish her question, she found herself jolting a little in surprise. She was cut off by a tiny nudge that came from inside of her, which was then accompanied by a faint quivering sensation—similar to what a limb would do when somebody was in the middle of a good stretch._

_Ookami nearly jumped, feeling the sensation occur directly below his hand. It made his dark blue eyes grow to be the size of saucers, as if he were questioning if that had **actually** happened. After all, due to working so much, he couldn't remember the last time when he had been able to experience the baby kicking; and since this one was a lot less active compared to what Yuki had been, it was almost **rare** to feel it move in the first place._

_"Did that just...?!" Ookami blurted out, unable to finish the question from how bewildered he was._

_Hana was nearly gaping. "I ... I don't kn—oh!"_

_She jolted again, just as another delicate twitch came from within her swollen tummy. It almost made her skin feel as though it was tingling, especially beneath the Wolf Man's hand__. By that point, the young couple were able to confirm that the baby had—most definitely—**kicked. **They lifted their heads and stared directly into each other's eyes, their astonishment being replaced by an overwhelming amount of delight. Their lips morphed into giant grins, exposing their teeth, and cheerful laughter started to flow out of their mouths like waterfalls. _

_"Oh—oh my gosh!" Hana exclaimed through her fond giggles. "It's moving...! The baby's **really **moving!"_

_"Yeah...! I can feel it...!" Ookami said through his own chuckles, right before he detected another tiny kick that was located directly below his fingertips. "Ah! There's another one...! Do you think that it's practicing some yoga in there?"_

_Hana shook her head playfully. "I don't think that's **exactly** how it works, honey..."_

_That time, the Wolf Man lightly snickered at his mate. Afterwards, he proceeded to carefully kneel down in front of the baby bump and position himself on his knees. As this happened, Hana peeled her arms away from around his neck and settled her hands directly on top of her ballooned stomach__. Meanwhile, Ookami—with an incredibly fragile touch—placed his strong hands on both sides of the lower half of the baby bump, as if he were cradling it._

_"Nah, you're just excited to get out of there and into the world, aren't you, little one?" Ookami whispered, his affectionate words still being able to be heard by his lover. "Well, in just another two months, you'll be here ... and you'll be welcomed into a **very **loving family."_

_Just then, **another** fragile flutter came from inside of Hana, making her release small, adorable yelp. Ookami, on the other hand, was fortunate enough to have been able to feel it directly below his left palm. Needless to say, it made both of their hearts jump for joy._

_"Oop! There's another one! It's almost starting to tickle...!" Hana said, unable to resist letting out a few more giggles. "I think that it likes the sound of your voice."_

_"Heh! Is that true, little one?" Ookami inquired, keeping his voice soft as he gently rubbed the lower portion of his soulmate's protruding belly. "Do you like the sound of Daddy's voice?"_

_It didn't take long for the baby to respond. After about five seconds, it gave a **fifth** nudge that was just as soft and precious as all of the others. It really **did **seem like the baby was reacting to the Wolf Man's voice, which—he could vaguely recall—was **another **piece of information that he had read about when he and his mate had been preparing for their daughter's birth._

_"Ah!" Hana yelped, sounding cheerful and amused. "I think that's a 'yes...!'"_

_A pleasant warmth filled Ookami's chest. At the same time, his ecstatic smile seemed to melt into one that was much more blissful—like he was touched by how his unborn child **already** seemed to be attached to him. Then, with his eyes filled with nothing but love, the Wolf Man leaned in and delivered a kiss to the direct center of the baby bump. It lasted about three seconds, right before he decided to gently rest his head against his lover's bloated belly. Not long after that, Ookami could feel Hana beginning to rake her fingers through his hair. All the while, they were illuminated by the cozy glow of the heater and "Maternity Sky" continued to play from the radio._

_"You know, little one ... ever since we found out that you were on the way, your big sister, Yuki, has been practically bouncing off the walls. She's **very **excited to meet you, just like your Mommy and I are..." Ookami whispered, his hands still placed on opposite sides of his soulmate's tummy. "Ohh, sweetie ... let me tell you ... you have a mother that's one of a kind. I can already tell that you're going to **love **her to pieces. She's the **sweetest** and most **beautiful** woman in the whole wide world ... and there are no words that could **possibly** describe just how much I am looking forward to raising you with her."_

_Hana's cheeks—once more—became pinker than cotton candy, almost making her look like a porcelain doll. She continued to trace her fingers through her true love's hair, admiring how it was just as soft as his fur was whenever he was in his wolf form. Meanwhile, with her lips still molded into a fond smile, Hana placed her opposite hand against the top portion of her baby bump and proceeded to rub it._

_"And Mommy is looking forward to holding you on the day that you are born. I can't wait to listen to your first cry and hold you close to my chest as I nurse you. Then, with every passing day that follows your delivery, I will do my very best to be the **greatest** mother that I can possibly be—for you **and **for Yuki." Hana promised, sounding just as sincere as she looked. "Not only that, but ... I can promise that you and your sister have the most **amazing **father in the entire universe. He's irreplaceable—just like **my** father had been ... and he's one of the strongest people that I have **ever **met in my **entire** life. He's also **very **brave ... and I look forward to seeing you look up to him one day."_

_The Wolf Man looked up, remaining on his knees and keeping his hands where they were on both sides of his mate's stomach. At the same time, Hana—who had already been looking down—stared into his eyes and offered him a much more passionate grin. Her one hand gently glided through his hair and rested against the back of his neck, while her opposite hand continued to rest against the top of her baby bump. Her lashes were still sparkly with teardrops and, by that point, the angelic melody of "Maternity Sky" was beginning to come to an end. Yet, the love that was in the room **never** faltered._

_"I love you, Hana." Ookami said, grateful to have such a phenomenal woman in his life._

_"I love you too, Ookami." Hana said back, still grinning passionately. "And I **always **will—no matter what."_

* * *

"Daddy?"

Ookami's entire body twitched, as if it a bolt of electricity had just shot through it. He drew in a sharp breath from getting caught off guard, almost making it seem like he had forgotten how to breathe and had _just _remembered that he needed to do so. For a moment, it felt like his mind had froze. It cut off the past and needed a couple of seconds to latch back onto the present. Once it did, the dark-haired man was able to process where he was and what he was looking at. He was standing in the dim kitchen of the apartment, hand still partially extended with his eyes locked in the direction of the table. The avalanche of disheveled laundry was still right there in front of him ... and, sticking out of a pile of mismatched rags, was the head of his son's wolf-like doll—the _main_ item that his gaze appeared to be firmly glued on.

The Wolf Man blinked multiple times, suddenly noticing that his eyes felt _wet. _A blend of confusion and alarm swept across his features, just as he lifted a hand up to his face and placed his fingertips against the area that was directly below his right eye. At that very moment, a single teardrop had—coincidentally—escaped from the same eye. It splashed against Ookami's middle finger, which was when he ended up retracting his hand to look at it. As soon as he noticed the gleam of water that was now covering the tip of his middle finger, the realization sunk in. It turns out, he had been _so_ caught up in reliving that beautiful memory of him and Hana to the point where he had failed to notice that tears had started to curl up in the corners of his eyes.

"_Have I just been standing here and **crying? **__...__ Ugh, dammit..._" Ookami exhaled mentally, almost feeling compelled to hit himself upside the head. "_Come on, Ookami ... __Hana **wouldn't** want you doing this to yourself and you **know** that. You just ... gotta keep pushing forward..._"

Of course, that was _much_ easier said than done. Not only was it _incredibly_ difficult for the Wolf Man to be given the painful—and unnecessary—reminder that his soulmate was now _dead,_ but remembering the conversations from _that_ particular flashback only made it a thousand times harder on him.

"Daddy!"

"Huh...?!"

Ookami jolted again, immediately tearing his gaze away from his hand and locking his attention in the direction of the familiar voice. It belonged to none other than Yuki, who was still standing on the same chair that was positioned on the other end of the table. She was blinking repeatedly, staring at her father with her mouth slightly hanging open and almond-colored eyes shimmering with curiosity. Meanwhile, the rest of her adorable face was covered in a layer of uncertainty, making it clear that she must've been observing the dark-haired man for quite some time.

"Oh, Yuki...! I'm sorry for zoning out like that, princess." Ookami said sincerely, right before he lowered his head and stared down into the laundry bin. "Aww, Ame ... Daddy's sorry to you, too..."

It turned out, Ame had been doing the same thing as Yuki—staring at the Wolf Man with a look of pure confusion on his furry face. To no surprise, he was _still_ in the form of a wolf pup, lying against the fuzzy, white, neatly folded towel with his front paws—a.k.a his hands—placed on either sides of his head. His hair was still prickled with sweat, almost making it look like a mop, and his pointy ears were still poking out from the top. Not only that, but his dull blue nose—which was visibly drier than usual—was still accompanied by small drops of snot, reminding Ookami that his son was _horribly_ congested. Finally, aside from the reddish tint that only seemed to have grown darker across the paler portions of Ame's face, there was his toffee-colored eyes. They made him look sicker and even _more_ helpless, courtesy of how they were red-rimmed and fairly puffy from all of his prior sobs.

Ookami drew out a quiet sigh, fighting the urge to frown. In that moment, as his shoulders drooped, the first thought that came to his mind was, "_Way to go, genius. You got distracted from taking care of your **sick child.** Ugh ... guess who **won't** be becoming 'Father of the Year' anytime soon...?_"

"Daddy?" Yuki spoke up again, her voice soft and puzzled. "Are you crying?"

As soon as he heard that question leave his daughter's mouth, the Wolf Man shot his head back up and stared across the table at her. He nearly faltered, but quickly shook his head to help snap himself out of the pessimistic mindset that was in the middle of trying to corrupt him. Then, as he stopped, Ookami did his best to muster up the brightest and most reassuring smile that he could—especially since he knew that it was _extremely_ rare for him to cry in front of Yuki and Ame. In fact, the last time that Ookami could remember shedding any tears in front of the children was back on the day that followed Hana's tragedy ... because that was when he had to explain to Yuki—who had noticed her mother's absence right off the bat—that she was no longer able to be with them. Other than that, from the top of his head, the dark-haired man couldn't recall any other scenarios—mainly because he _always_ went out of his way to not break down in front of his kids.

"Nah, sweetheart. I'm not crying." Ookami answered at last, now wearing a smile that was surprisingly convincing. "Daddy just had a little something in his eye. That's all."

Yuki blinked. "Dust?"

She made the word sound foreign, which sent a trickle of amusement through the Wolf Man and assisted him in cracking a faint chuckle. After all, since she was only two, Yuki didn't necessarily understand what _dust_ was. All she knew about it was that it typically made people sneeze, cough, and sometimes need to scratch their eyes, courtesy of how she had seen her father use the feather duster around the apartment on multiple occasions. Other than that, it was just another word that she had picked up from being an observant and curious toddler.

"Yeah, Yuki. Maybe it _was_ a speck of dust. Or maybe it could've been an eyelash. Either way, Daddy's perfectly okay."

While giving his response, Ookami used his fingers to rid the tears from his eyes. After that, while using the hem of his shirt to subtly clean the water away from his fingertips, the dark-haired man lowered his attention back down to the crumpled sea of laundry. Once again, his eyes landed on the head of Ame's wolf-like plushie; but this time, instead of showing any signs of hesitation, Ookami reached his hand out, grabbed the head of the stuffed toy, and carefully pulled it out from the pile of rags that it had somehow been buried underneath. In his hand, the blue and white doll looked _a lot_ smaller than what it actually was.

The Wolf Man traced his thumb across the plushie's ear. The longer that he stared at it, the more vivid that flashback became. He could practically _feel_ the warm glow of the heater and _hear_ the beautiful melody of "Maternity Sky." There was even a small piece of Ookami that could've sworn that his taste buds were beginning to detect the taste of the honey-flavored tea that Hana had been kind enough to make for him. All the while, the wonderful image of his soulmate's beaming face was projected in his mind.

In that moment, the dark-haired man could feel his smile beginning to tremble. His brain kept replaying the same memory, having new details stand out every single time. However, despite how he _already_ felt emotional, Ookami was caught off guard when the tragic events from _that _day decided to come back into his mind—uninvited, as usual. They bled into the beautiful flashback, blending the two horrendously.

Instead of feeling the warmth from the heater, Ookami felt the freezing downpour. Instead of hearing the angelic tune of "Maternity Sky," he heard the voices of the crestfallen paramedics. Instead of tasting the warm tea, he tasted the saltiness from his tears. Instead of feeling his heart pumping with delight, he felt it shatter into millions of pieces. And lastly, instead of seeing Hana's beautiful smile ... he saw an unnaturally pale face that was half submerged in water. He saw eyes that were drained of life, accompanied by a body that was covered in various lacerations and damp, crimson splatters. To this day, the dark-haired man could _easily_ remember the overwhelming smell of his lover's blood. It combined with the scents of jasmine and oranges, overpowering them almost immediately. Overall, recalling the aftermath of Hana's accident was—like always—hard and devastating.

In that moment, the Wolf Man felt a small—yet sharp—pain shoot through his chest, similar to a bullet. He nearly grimaced, but stopped himself before he could. At the same time, he squeezed his eyes shut to prevent any new tears from forming and he—once again—shook his head to try snapping himself out of the past. It was as if he was a dog that had just finished hopping out of the bathtub. Then, when he stopped, Ookami lifted his head and did his best to restore his positive grin. He did a surprisingly well job, directing his attention across the table at Yuki.

"Hey, I have an idea, Yuki...!" Ookami said, making his voice sound as cheerful as he could. "How would _you_ like to give me a hand with getting your brother to turn back into a human?"

In less than a second, the two-year-old's eyes started to twinkle like shooting stars. She stared at her father like he had just surprised her with the most delicious sweet in the entire universe, right before an ecstatic smile spread practically ear-to-ear across her face.

"Really?!" she asked, sounding just as delighted as she looked.

Ookami gave a few nods. "Yes, really. Now, come over here _quietly_ and I'll let you give his toy to him."

Yuki didn't think twice before complying, snatching up her own wolf-like doll from the table. Then, with her excitement completely overpowering her, she hopped down from the chair and disappeared from Ookami's view—but only for a moment. He lowered his gaze down to the floor, witnessing his daughter reappear from around the table ... but as soon as she did, the Wolf Man noticed that she was no longer in her human form. On the contrary, her fair skin had been replaced by a light layer of beige-colored fur and her auburn hair now had small, pointy ears poking out from it. Her hands and feet had also transformed into cute paws, while her face was now accompanied by a small snout. Yet, regardless of this, Yuki's eyes remained filled with enthusiasm and she didn't hesitate to fling her arms up, indicating that she was ready for her dad to pick her up.

"Ah, ah, ah...!" Ookami held up a finger and wagged it, an alert expression now covering his face. "You need to switch back into _your_ human form before I pick you up, Yuki. If Ame sees you like that, he just might feel _encouraged_ to stay in his wolf form—and I can't risk that."

The two-year-old jolted a little in confusion, considering how it _wasn't_ uncommon for her to sometimes change into a wolf pup without even noticing it. She reeled her arms back in and looked at her hands, only to realize that they had been replaced by paws. Upon noticing this, Yuki closed her eyes and shook her body—just like she would whenever she was done getting bathed. Then, within seconds, her wolf features had disappeared and she was back in her human form. As this happened, a new and much more eager smile swept across her face—as if she hadn't accidentally turned into a wolf.

"Better, Daddy?" Yuki asked sweetly.

Ookami let out a soft breath, his wary stare melting away and being replaced by a calm grin.

"Yes, pumpkin. That's _much _better."

"Yay!" Yuki cheered, right before she shot her arms up towards her dad again. "Ready to help now!"

The Wolf Man chuckled slightly, glad to see that his first-born child was seeming to grow into the type of person who absolutely _loved_ lending a hand—especially when it came to him. He bent down and scooped her up, easily able to hold her in his left arm. Then, after making sure that Yuki was settled, Ookami proceeded to hand over the blue and white plushie that belonged to Ame. He snuggled it against his daughter's stomach, right before he curled his fingers around _her _wolf-like toy—not wanting to risk Ame breaking out into a new fit of sobs for not being allowed to have _both_ of the plushies.

"Here, I'll trade you." Ookami said softly, in which he took the red and white doll from Yuki and sat it down on the table. "Now, are you ready to give your brother his plushie?"

Yuki nodded almost instantly. "Mm-hm! Mm-hm!"

"And do you _promise_ to be gentle?"

"Yes, Daddy!" Yuki chirped, nodding some more. "I promise!"

Ookami's eyes glimmered with content, just as he gave a single nod of approval.

"That's my girl. Don't wiggle around, okay? ... Here we go."

With that, the Wolf Man placed his right hand against the area that was directly below his daughter's chest. At the same time, he secured his left hand around her ankles and Yuki leaned forward, now lying in a horizontal position. It was similar to how a spy would look in an action movie—when they were in the middle of a heist and trying to descend from the ceiling without getting caught. Ookami's hands supported her easily, hovering her over the laundry basket and permitting her to get a closer look at her baby brother.

As Yuki looked down, her long hair dripped out from over her shoulders and dangled. The moonlight gleamed against in, pouring in from the row of windows that lined the back of the kitchen. The silvery beams bounced off from the two-year-old's hair, somehow making it look at least a shade or two redder than what it _really_ was. It almost made Ookami think of stained glass—how a certain color would appear _brighter_ and even more _beautiful_ as soon as it came in contact with light. In his daughter's case, her hair—despite being auburn—almost appeared to be redder than a strawberry whenever it was hit by light at just the right time. It was something that the dark-haired man was hoping that she would possess for _many_ years to come, simply because it made his little girl even more precious to look at.

"_She has hair like **my** father's..._" Ookami suddenly thought. "_That particular shade of auburn ... fiery embers..._"

Even though the Wolf Man couldn't remember much from his childhood, there was something about his daughter's hair was triggered a piece of something in his mind. He didn't want to go as far as saying that it was a whole other memory—because it wasn't. On the contrary, it was just a snippet of information that Ookami had _just_ recalled. His dad _had _possessed the same hair color as Yuki, which explained how it had been passed down to her in the first place. The dark-haired man could also _vaguely _remember his father in the sunlight, being outdoors quite often ... and his hair _always _looked like it was redder than fire. With that, ever since he was a small child, Ookami had gotten into the habit of comparing his old man's hair to "fiery embers."

However, not long after the Wolf Man recalled that tiny piece of his past, the nightmare that he had experienced about an hour previously started to creep back into his mind. The gruesome images flashed through his brain—shattered glass, twisted metal, mangled limbs, and scarlet liquid smeared across the pavement. There was even a small piece of Ookami that could've sworn that he could _still _detect the overpowering smells of smoke, burnt rubber, and—once again—_blood. _It was one of the most brutal dreams that he had _ever _had ... and what made it even _worse _was the fact that it seemed to repeat itself at least three times a week. He had been able to handle it better back when Hana was around ... but now that she was gone, he had _nobody_ to turn to when the traumatic events from his past came back to haunt him.

Ookami squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his lips together, almost feeling sick to his stomach. He nearly cringed from recalling the nightmare, but forced himself to push it as far into the back of his mind as he could.

"_This is just a goodbye..._" A soft and reassuring voice—belonging to none other than Hana—suddenly broke through the unpleasant thoughts in Ookami's mind, reminding him of the message that he had heard in a dream that followed his true love's tragic accident. "_Until the time comes for us to reunite, let __**them **__be your reason to smile. Take good care of our children._"

With that, the Wolf Man opened his eyes again ... and as soon as he locked his gaze back on his children, he found himself being able to muster up a new, soft, affectionate grin.

From the bottom of the basket, Ame was looking up at his sister with his mouth hanging open and eyes looking slightly larger than usual. He looked absolutely _mesmerized,_ his eyes reflecting the vibrant shade of red that seemed to be appearing from Yuki's hair. Meanwhile, Yuki remained supported by her father's hands, hovering steadily above the laundry bin. She stared down at her little brother, smiling widely with the blue and white plushie cuffed in her hands. All the while, Ookami made sure to hold his daughter at a safe distance—meaning that she would be close enough to offer Ame his toy, but also far enough to not catch whatever it was that he had.

"Here, Ame!" Yuki said, sounding as perky as she looked.

"Yeah, son, look at what Yuki has for you...!"

As the Wolf Man whispered those words in a tone that was still audible, he felt an ache in his heart—as if there was a _massive_ bruise on it. His smile quivered a little, making it obvious that he was caught up in juggling a variety of emotions. However, instead of giving in and allowing his smile to crumble away, Ookami did his best to maintain as much of it as he could—just like Hana had told him that she had done during her father's funeral. Although, he had _no doubt_ that his mate had done it _so much_ better than him.

"It's ... it's your special gift from Mommy." Ookami finished delicately.

Yuki then extended her arms out, presenting her little brother with his wolf-like plushie as she said, "Your wolfie!"

Ame's attention was drawn to his beloved toy almost immediately ... and as soon as it was, his innocent eyes ended up growing a little more in a mixture of surprise and desire. Until then, Ookami hadn't noticed just how much _brighter_ his son's eyes looked. With the silvery moonlight gleaming against them, Ame's irises almost looked _exactly_ like golden rings—similar to how Yuki's hair almost looked as if it had turned red. The dark-haired man thought that was funny—yet remarkable—how the right amount of light was capable of making specific colors stand out more. It _definitely_ fascinated him.

In that moment, with his gaze now locked entirely on his wolf-like doll, Ame lifted his front legs—i.e. his arms—up into the air and proceeded to wave them around. At the same time, he began to let out small coos and whimpers that sounded_ a lot _more eager, which made it clear that he _really _wanted his plushie. He had even started to open and close his front paws—a.k.a hands—repeatedly, sending the evident message, "Gimmie! Gimmie! Gimmie!"

"Okay, Yuki, go ahead and give it to him now." Ookami instructed. "Remember, do it _gently._"

"I will!"

With that, Yuki delivered a quick kiss to the back of the blue and white plushie's head, making her father's heart feel as though it was swelling. Afterwards, with her face still decorated by a bubbly smile, she lowered the plushie and watched as Ame grabbed it with the most determined grip that any seven-month-old could muster. Then, upon retrieving the stuffed doll, the blue-haired wolf pup almost instantly opened his mouth and began to harmlessly gnaw on its head—which wasn't much of a surprise, considering the fact that he had started teething about a month previously.

"Hooray! I did it! I gave Ame his toy!" Yuki cheered, clearly feeling as proud as any two-year-old possibly could.

Ookami let out a couple of faint laughs, just as he lifted his first-born child back up into an upright position and settled her in his left arm again. He was glad that his children seemed to get along so well, especially since he understood that—one day—they were going to grow up and realize that there were no other kids in the _entire_ _world_ that were like them. They would only have each other, as well as him. So, witnessing such a strong bond between Ame and Yuki at this point in their lives was _very _comforting to the Wolf Man—regardless of how they were still so young.

"You sure did, honey." Ookami said fondly.

Yuki looked up at him, her optimistic smile altering into one that was much more confident.

"I _told_ you that I would be gentle!"

The dark-haired man playfully rolled his eyes at his daughter's cockiness, breathing out another small chuckle.

"Yeah, you did. You did a _great_ job at being my little helper, Yuki—just like you always do."

As those words left Ookami's mouth, he used his free hand to retrieve Yuki's wolf-like doll from the table. Then, he offered it to her and watched as she didn't think twice before taking it from him. She pulled it in and giggled in delight, holding the plushie close to her chest and nuzzling it against her cheek. Meanwhile, the Wolf Man turned his head and lowered his lowered his attention back down into the laundry bin. He saw Ame delicately pawing at his plushie with its head still placed in his mouth, his jaw moving in circular motions and little canines not even managing to leave distinct bite marks in the material.

"_Okay, son..._" Ookami mentally sighed, just as he reached his unoccupied hand into the basket and placed it soothingly against Ame's slightly plump belly. "_Daddy's going to need this to help you turn back into a human. Otherwise, I'll have to come up with some other plan ... and I don't know what else there could **possibly** be to get you to understand that__—in order for me to be able to take care of your illness—__I **need **you to be in your human form. Come on, Ame ... I **know** that you can do it, buddy. Change back into a human for Daddy..._"

Ookami moved his hand in circular motions, gently rubbing his son's tummy as he watched him continue to chew on his wolf-like toy. However, the longer that he stared at Ame, the more that the Wolf Man couldn't help but think back to the memory that he had been caught up in reliving just a couple of minutes previously. He remembered _everything_ from it like it had happened just yesterday—the feeling of Hana's bloated belly, the multiple conversations that the two of them had, the sight of his mate working on that exact plushie, and the list could keep going for miles. It was almost difficult for Ookami to believe that he could remember _every last detail _without hardly any issues—and not _just_ with that particular memory. On the contrary, he could practically recall _every last moment _that he had _ever _experienced with Hana—leading all the way up to the day in which her life was claimed by a hit-and-run.

Three weeks after discussing Hana's desire to drop out of school, she did just that. She had _a lot _more time on her hands, which provided the Wolf Man with the opportunity to have a much more organized work schedule—just as the two of them had talked about. Plus, whenever they were both free from work, Ookami and Hana were able to enjoy walks in the park and run errands together—similar to what they had done in the _way_ beginning of their relationship. Yuki had also been with them, almost always riding on her father's shoulders and tugging at his hair. All the while, the small family had more time to spend together and—for the remaining two months of Hana's second pregnancy—they were able to catch up on the preparations that were needed for their upcoming child.

To no surprise, Ookami remembered the events that led up to Ame's arrival just as vividly as the events that led up to Yuki's. On the sixth day of March, Hana's water broke at 9:32 P.M. She had been asleep, courtesy of how her back had been aching and—all through the final month—the overall pregnancy had been making her feel drained _a lot_ faster. On that particular night, she had gone to bed around 8:35 P.M. Meanwhile, Ookami had been in the kitchen, putting away what was left of the dishes from dinner; and Yuki had been in the apartment's main room, passed out on a blanket after playing with some toys for a few hours. Then, at exactly 9:40, the Wolf Man was caught off guard by the sound of his mate's voice, suddenly calling out his name. Judging by how alert and slightly panicked she sounded, Ookami knew that it was—once again—go time.

According to one pregnancy book, Ookami had _vaguely_ remembered a piece of information that talked about how it was common for a woman's birthing process to become shorter with each child that she carried. This was something that he had been _really _hoping for with Hana, considering how—for _this_ birthing experience—he was going to have to keep an eye on her _and_ Yuki. Obviously, the couple didn't want their _two-year-old_ daughter to see anything that she was too young to see—such as her father checking for dilation and, of course, the baby coming out. Luckily, Yuki—being the heavy sleeper that she has been since day one—slept through a majority of Hana's second laboring experience without showing any signs of being disturbed.

Ame's birth lasted _thirteen hours_—just _one_ hour less than Yuki's. All through it, Ookami provided Hana with the same treatment that he had when assisting her through their daughter's arrival. During the first ten hours, there were _a lot _of wet cloths, ice chips, massages, and bodily examinations. However, when the eleventh hour arrived—somewhere around 7:50 in the morning—Yuki had woken up and was hungry. So, after having his mate smile at him through her pain and promise that she would be okay, the Wolf Man reluctantly agreed to hurry into the kitchen and make some blueberry oatmeal for their daughter. Fortunately, upon finding out that her mother was in labor, Yuki retrieved a box of crayons from the windowsill and—while devouring her breakfast—proceeded to draw pictures for Hana and her new baby brother or sister. That meant that, after serving the oatmeal, Ookami was able to return to his soulmate's bedroom and continue assisting her. Yuki was sure to be distracted for quite some time—and she was.

The final two hours consisted of Hana depending on breathing exercises and Ookami opening her window to expose her to a relaxing breeze. However, just as he discovered that his mate had finished reaching ten centimeters, the Wolf Man ended up needing to close the window because—practically out of nowhere—a sea of gray clouds filled the sky and rain started pouring down. With that, it was time for Hana to push ... and after no more than five minutes, their second child—a precious baby boy—_finally_ entered the world. It was 10:47 A.M. on March seventh.

* * *

_"Finding out that I had a baby brother was one of the **happiest** moments in my **entire** life. I now had somebody to grow up with__—somebody to help take care of. I couldn't **wait** for us to live our lives together ... and ever since I first laid my eyes on him, I was hoping that__—some day—__he would grow to look up to me. As a child, that was my number one goal when it came to being a big sister..." ~ Yuki_

* * *

Like it had been with Yuki's birth, finding out Ame's gender was one of the most beautiful and exciting moments in Ookami's life. He was delivered safely and there was nothing concerning about his health. He was just as perfect as Yuki ... and, as the result of the abrupt rainfall that had started _right before _Hana was about to push, the young couple believed that they had found the sign as to what their son's name was meant to be. He was destined to be Ame—"rain."

However, looking back on that day ... the Wolf Man couldn't help but wonder what that sudden downpour _really _meant. He couldn't think of any other name that suited his son better ... but what if there was more to it? What if the rain wasn't just a sign, but also an omen? The downpour helped Ookami and Hana come up with Ame's name ... but it also took place during the final moment that they would have together as a family. Ever since he lost his true love, the dark-haired man couldn't help but have those thoughts from time to time.

Two hours after Hana gave birth, she ventured out to get groceries ... and she never came back. That haunted Ookami more than words could _possibly_ describe. Even though it had been _seven months_ since the tragedy, _this_ was the first time in which the reality was broadening for the Wolf Man. As much as he hated to admit it, Hana wasn't there to help him potty train Yuki—even though she had said that she _wanted _to be there for that. Not only that, but Hana _wasn't_ going to be there to experience Ame's first steps and first words—despite how determined she had been to devote more time to being a mother. She wasn't going to be there to see the children grow, nor was she going to be able to watch as they flourished into whatever it was they were meant to be. She wasn't even going to be able to go back to university at some point. _All of that stuff_ ... was _impossible_ for Hana now.

After the hit-and-run, Ookami had processed the heartbreaking fact that his true love was gone. He understood that, from that day forward, he was _all_ that Yuki and Ame had ... but what he had failed to notice was just _how much_ Hana was going to miss and _how much_ he was going to have to experience—as well as handle—on his own. Plus, aside from all of the milestones that were sure to come from Ame and Yuki's human halves, Ookami knew that—sooner or later—he was going to have to find ways to also teach them about their wolf abilities. Educating his children on _both _of their lifestyles was going to be one hell of a challenge for the Wolf Man, especially since he—without Hana—didn't have anybody else to depend on for help. He really _was _going to have to handle a lot on his own ... and he hadn't noticed the _incredible_ amount until he recalled that memory of him and his mate.

Suddenly, the sweet sound of Hana's voice filled Ookami's mind again, repeating something that she had said in the flashback.

"_...__And he's one of the strongest people that I have **ever **met in my **entire** life. He's also **very **brave..._"

With one arm still holding his daughter and his opposite hand still rubbing his son's stomach, the dark-haired man rested his eyes shut and did his best to ignore how fatigued he felt. He quietly drew in a deep breath through his nose and held it in. Then, a couple of seconds later, he softly released it in the form of a sigh.

"_Oh, Hana ... I managed to get through **a lot **in my life ... but raising our children all on my own? That's something that I **never **thought that I was going to have to do..._" Ookami's voice, even in his mind, was drenched in sincerity. "_I **always **thought that I would have you right here by my side ... but now, I'm the **only one** that Yuki and Ame have to depend on. I **never **thought that the two of them would have to grow up without you_—_without their own **mother.** In fact, I used to think that adapting to being a **first-time** parent was the most difficult challenge in the whole world ... but I **couldn't** have been more wrong. Back then, I had you and we were getting through it together. Now, I'm a **single** parent ... and it's up to **me** to take care of Yuki and Ame to the best of my abilities. I swear, Hana ... I'm **trying. **It's just ... **really **hard to get used to..._"

"Daddy?"

As soon as he heard Yuki's voice, Ookami didn't think twice before opening his eyes and forcing himself to put on a new grin. He retracted his unoccupied hand from his son's belly and turned his head to look at his daughter, noticing how she was suddenly staring at her red and white plushie with a quizzical look in her eyes. All the while, the Wolf Man did his best to push all of the negative and overwhelming thoughts aside.

"Yes, baby?"

Yuki looked up, batting her lashes at her father as she asked, "Is it true that Momma made my wolfie? And Ame's, too?"

"Oh, yes." Ookami replied, nodding his head. "Mommy sewed them with her own two hands—right before you and your brother were born."

The two-year-old tilted her head a little to the side, curiosity spreading across her features.

"What's_ 'sewed'_ mean?" she inquired.

The Wolf Man gave a small chuckle, right before he elaborated.

"Well, sweetheart, _'sewing'_ is when somebody uses a needle and thread to create items—such as clothing, blankets, or even toys. It also comes in handy whenever there's a rip or hole in some type of fabric—because the needle and thread can be used to fix it."

Yuki's eyes shimmered with fascination. "Wow...! Can _you _sew, Daddy?"

In that moment, it felt as if the corners Ookami's lips had become heavier than bricks. His smile faltered, just as he felt a sting inside of him—as if there was a wasp in his chest that had just gotten done piercing him with its stinger. He almost grimaced, but held back the urge to do so. Then, despite how it wasn't easy, the Wolf Man restored his smile as much as he could. Although, it was evident by the look in his eyes that he felt disappointed and even a little sheepish.

"No, Yuki ... I'm afraid that I _can't._" Ookami confessed, softly shaking his head. "Your Mommy was _fantastic _at sewing—the best in the family. She _had_ been planning to teach me how to do it, but ... we didn't get very far in the lessons. We had been too busy with work and preparing for Ame's arrival. Plus, the two of us just _loved _spending as much time with you as possible. So ... I never _really_ had the chance to learn how to sew."

"You _should_ learn, Daddy!" Yuki said with an adorable and encouraging smile now stretched across her lips. "Sewing sounds _fun!_"

Ookami squinted slightly, thinking heavily about his daughter's words. It made him remember the part of the flashback that revolved around the discussion that he and Hana had about sewing. She had offered to teach him, right before they started to talk about the benefits of having two pairs of hands instead of one to depend on—especially since Yuki _loved _to roughhouse and they never knew when sewing would come in handy for a family like theirs. Now, there were _two_ children in the picture ... and Hana had sadly passed away. So, even though the dark-haired man didn't know exactly where to begin ... he couldn't deny that it probably _was_ a good idea for him to learn how to sew.

"Huh..." Ookami breathed softly, just as he touched his chin with his unoccupied hand in thought.

"Oh! Daddy, Daddy!" Yuki blurted out all of the sudden, pointing eagerly at the laundry bin. "Look at Ame!"

As soon as he heard those words leave his daughter's mouth, the Wolf Man didn't hesitate to snap out of his thoughts. His dark blue eyes shot huge and he dropped his gaze back down into the basket, wondering what it was that had caught Yuki's attention. Nevertheless, as soon as his attention landed on Ame, Ookami could've sworn that he felt what was like a block of cement being lifted off from his chest.

Ame was still lying against the fuzzy towel that was at the bottom of the basket, nibbling on one of the ears of his wolf-like plushie and blinking innocently. Although, his paws had been replaced by tiny hands and matching feet. In addition to that, his sweaty fur had disappeared and was replaced by fair skin. Then, there was his nose—small, normal, and almost looking redder than Rudolf's. His cheeks were just as flushed, while his hair was still sprinkled with perspiration. Finally, his snout was gone, his short claws had transformed back into normal nails, and his little fangs had been replaced by typical baby teeth.

At last, the seven-month-old was back in his human form.

* * *

_To be continued..._


End file.
